The age of tips

One of our readers writes:

" Sir,

"In the small village near Paris where I currently live, the garbage collector comes by on Sundays, but since his dump truck is too small and he doesn't want to make two trips, he only picks up the garbage of the only taxpayers who give him tips. I gave him ten sous the first time; no doubt he found that it was not enough, because for a month I have not seen him..."

Our reader continues by asking us the following question: “Since I. pays the tax for garbage collection, do I owe the collector a tip? »

Obviously not! But this brave reader who speaks of his right makes me laugh a little. Only System D matters. At every moment, we can have new proofs of it; those who travel, for example; have to charge twenty-five percent tip if they want their luggage checked in without waiting if they want to hold their seats without queuing, if they want to have a corner, travel ahead, have a seat in the first service of the dining car, a berth, if they spend the night in the train; of course, they pay the rate, but the employee wants to take his tithe.

My reader's muddy doesn't care much about municipal taxes, he wants to do his Sunday. But I've seen better: a cemetery caretaker to whom I asked for insignificant information held out his hand to me in the most natural way.

Only the most shameful lose: you and me, to whom, when we were young, too proud parents did not want to teach how to beg.

— D.