Big Fish, Small Fish

There is an old sports shop near the park that I have been an occasional customer of. It's a nice, traditional, family-run shop that offers low prices compared to big shiny stores.

Last night, I was there to buy a tracksuit (it's getting cold for running) and I found myself standing at the door of a nice and clean Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Collection Center. I was like "What?" and when I turned to go back I looked at left and there it was, the old sports shop, squeezed into 5 feet wide hole. I instantly recognized the proprioter, who was arranging plastic cricket wickets at the door. I went ahead and inquired about the tracksuit and he told me that he was out of tracksuit stock (huge demand?).
I turned back, stopped, and turned back.

"What happened to the shop?"
"It shrank because of cold", he said smilingly. "They paid huge rent", he continuted and pointed towards Collection Center with a movement of his head. Probably he didn't want to look there.

I felt bad for him all the way home.

This is an example of what happens when we pay more for something that should cost less: we ruin others' chances. This phenomenon is screwing our economy. Commodities get expensive because there are people who are buying them. As a businessman, if something sells, why would I lower it's price?
And as a responsible citizen, I would never pay exuberant prices for things I can live without, even if I can afford to.