What kind of money do you make?

What? That's not an improper question. Is it? I dunno, I'm getting asked that so frequently that I am beginning to think it's acceptable.

The first time was my landlord. He was asking a few questions about my work and my company, presumably to ascertain if I would be able to pay his rent every month. At one point he asked me (in Hindi), "How much do you make?" I tried to evade it by saying "Well, I just got here, they're trying to finalize the amount etc" He insisted, "You must have an idea right?" I gave him a reduced figure. He seemed satisfied by it.

The second time was by a cop. I spent a few hours at a bookstore and as I was leaving the parking lot and entered the main road, I got pulled over by a cop - well flagged over. He asked for my driving license, which, bless my dad, I had brought with me to Pune on a last second impulse. His impulse. He told me that I had just driven in the wrong direction on a one-way.

(Let me express my outrage for a second here - at any given point in time half of Pune is driving on the wrong side. They're driving on highways, on small streets, in parking lots in the direction that gets them to where they want to go the fastest. The direction of the road has nothing to do with it.)

I tried to argue that there was no sign. The constable was quite polite actually, he walked with me to the sign. There apparently was a sign (it was written on the inside of the building's parking lot, not on the road) but I really didn't see it. I tried to explain that I was new to the city and that it was my first offense but it was pointless. He took me to the big guy who told me that I would be getting fined for driving in the wrong direction. Again, I tried to talk my way out of it but he took it to mean that I was asking for a reduced fine - read BRIBE. I didn't get that he was asking for a bribe till he said "two hundred rupees," and then pocketed the money without giving me a receipt.

And then he began asking me questions.
"What do you do?"
"I'm an engineer."
"Software?"
"No."
"What company do you work for?"
"Halliburton"
"What sort of work do they do?"
At this point there was a combination of accidental and purposeful miscommunication.
"We dig holes in the ground"
"Oh, you're a Civil engineer?"
"Yes." (Under normal circumstances I would never be caught dead calling myself a Civil Engineer.)

and then -

"What do you make?"
I pretended to not hear the question. He asked again.
"Twenty thousand rupees a month."
That seemed to impress them a bit. In a bad sort of way. He turned to another person nearby and told him, "I am nearing the end of my service and I just get Twelve thousand. This guy is making twenty thousand already."

He let me go. I had the feeling the fine (bribe) I was going to pay was sort of dependent on the number I told him, which is why I tried to give a figure that was low and yet realistic. I wonder what he would have said if I told him what I really make.

No, don't ask!