Lying and Cheating in The Market Place

I didn't have many sweet childhood memories to share. I didn't have comfortable and cozy bedroom. I didn't have many playmates and close friends. I didn't have the luxury of tuition and study group. And I seldom played games or visited the library. What I had most of the time was an ever challenging feats against the real world in the market place.

Heavy rain or clear sky had no bearing in my life. Long before five in the morning, I had to set foot in the market place. Passing through the narrow trail in the rubber garden in complete darkness was crazy. But that was my routine for many years and I did it thoughtlessly. Frequently I slipped and fell on the roots of the trees until I was able to see through darkness. Many dogs appeared on all sides barking fiercely and chasing wildly. For most of the journey, I had to carry my school beg and my school uniform and ran like a mad cow. And mind you, I was barefooted.

And so I learned from my childhood that the world was not being fair to me.

I learned how to sweet talk my clients long before the school children learned how to speak proper sentences. I learned to look at them in their eyes and assured them of my sincerity and honesty. I learned to pay careful, thoughtful and prompt attention on them until they were hooked by my charms.

I learned to see through my clients long before I made my next moves. I learned the importance of perceiving what my clients wanted and needed, how to satisfy them and how to coax them into buying more from me. I learned to be sensitive to every move, and took the most appropriate actions as soon as possible. Sale and marketing are ongoing battles of perceptions and attentions, and there are many competitors lurking around nearby.

I learned to lie without blinking my eyes or thinking about it. I learned to cheat with a smile on my face and a twinkle in my eye. And I bluffed without crossing my fingers. I learned from my young age that business is lying and cheating in the first place.

I enjoyed this trade immensely until I realized the fallacy of it all. Ill-gotten gains will not last for long. And we will have to pay back many times over later in our lives. And so I have decided to call it quit early in my life.

I wanted a very honest living. I decided to study doubly hard, scored in all my tests and exam, and pursue a good career.

Yeah, I don't cheat and lie anymore. And I believe a few sincere words spoken in love and truth mean a lot more...