Why is this gentleman sweeping the parking lot with a broom? Are there no airblowers or street sweepers?

I wondered about this, as no doubt many visitors to India have. The answer struck me when I was in Austin a few weeks ago.

Austin is one of the more affluent cities in the US, and certainly in Texas. It is filled with enlightened citizens. Yet here was a guy, with a sign in his hand at a downtown corner that read "We all need a little help sometimes." That cardboard sign and whatever donations it results in forms the safety net for the man on the corner in Austin.

That's when it hit me: The broom you see here is India's first line of defense, the first strand of the safety net. Whether a dollar a day or dollar a week the broom and the job that goes with it provides an income.

I've gained a newfound respect for the gentleman with the broom.