An old scooter and a couple’s livelihood in COVID time

SHILLONG: An old Vespa scooter has become a means of small-time economic activity for a couple in the city during the COVID crisis.
The second-hand scooter is used by Kyntiewim Kharbuli to sell betel nuts and leaves at a corner in Motphran.
As the area in Iewduh where women used to sell betel nuts and leaves remains closed, Kharbuli is using the scooter to keep these items for sale.
“This is my husband’s scooter, we go back in the evening after work is over,” Kharbuli told The Shillong Times on Thursday.
Kharbuli, who is originally from Nongkrem, is now residing at Upper Malki with her husband and four daughters.
“My eldest daughter passed Class XII from St Anthony’s. I need money to send her for higher education and her desire is to study medicine to become a doctor or a nurse,” she said.
The mother longs to give better education to her remaining three children who are in classes X, V and play school.
During the pre-COVID time, she used to earn Rs 2,000-3,000 per day but now the daily income is just Rs 500.
Her husband, Anthony Syiemlieh, is helping his friend to man the nearby parking lot and there is no regular income. Earlier, he had tried other menial jobs.
“We have our own house, otherwise it would have been more difficult for us,” he said.
Syiemlieh said he comes with his wife on scooter at 8 am daily as he has to take the bulk of betel nuts and leaves from Garikhana or Mawlai.
“We leave Motphran at 8 pm,” he said.
Syiemlieh bought the scooter for Rs 15,000 from his brother nine years ago. “Before I bought the scooter from my brother, it had already exchanged many hands,” he said.
But he is happy that it is proving useful in COVID time.