Bookkeeping Problem

Leaving his provincial his boondocks training station for a Delhi holiday, Agastya, somewhat unwillingly, has to share the train trip with Kumar, the district Superintendent of Police. Kumar buys the ticket, but Agastya thinks it is the course of prudence to pay him back:

Agastya took out the 450 rupees. “For the train ticket, sir.”

Kumar beamed, and took from Agastya’s hand one 100-rupee note, “when you begin service you don’t get paid so well yaar, I know. You cannot afford more than second class, so I’ll take from you only the money for second class.” His face added, What a darling am I, no? Then more small talk.

Walking away from the police office, Agastya wasn’t sure whether Kumar had been unnecessarily generous or incredibly base. Kumar would have sent a police menial to buy those tickets, and given his style of functioning, would not have paid the menial any money in advance. And after buying the tickets the menial would not have had the guts to ask someone like Kumar for the money. If he was going to pay the menial 900 for two train tickets, he would hardly pay more than 300 for Agastya’s ticket out of his own pocket. Perhaps Kumar would repay the menial with a favour (a desired posting, or the stoppage of a transfer), and had smoothly pocketed for himself Agastya’s 100. In his place, smiled Agastya, I’d have taken much more.

—Upamanyu Chatterjee, English, August 242 (NYRB Paperback 2006)

I have no idea how to do the bookkeeping on this one.

Fn.: A glossary says thqt “yaar” means “friend.”