The receptionist and me (I)

How many times must a man check-out before the receptionist kills him… no the answer is not blowing in the wind…it’s a lifestyle issue… overdue credit card payments… minimum withdrawals on debit cards… and “how can I be wrong” attitude

Reached mumbai on a Sunday night more like early hours of monday morning…checked in to the hotel…. Was supposed to be there till Friday …the week went on… we were there for a training course…in which they took us through every facet of the organisaton…. I mean they even took us through a module on security… alarm systems and the jazz (god help us ...to my surprise people actually had questions like… there things like coffee mugs and staple pins missing from the fifth floor… I mean give it up)

Evenings were the usual …running back to the hotel for the complimentary drinks … heading out for dinner… meeting friends… coming back to the hotel at wee hours… where the receptionist gives you the fake smile (more like … there he comes again)..

Decided to stay with a friend on Wed and Thursday.. so got back to the hotel from office… had some drinks… got a mild high… packed up… went down to the receptionist and no prizes for guessing who I met there…The Receptionist

Had this long talk with her on how they should charge me for half day as I am leaving at nine …and not staying the night…how my company gives them enough room nights…so it should not be a problem… was at my brattish best… even asked that since I would not be availing the airport drop…they should arrange to drop me at bandra… ( no I did not stop there also… maybe it was the drink).. I asked them to enroll me in their frequent guest programme as I was there a week before also… (Those who know me would admit that I am slightly vertically challenged … I mean not really but as they say “ Small man … big ego”##

What could the poor thing do… spoke to her boss but given my impenetrable pretence of fake aristocracy… she obliged to all the requests…
… the car was arranged
… my luggage ( actually one small stroller) was brought down for me
… the frequent guest number was provided
… and of –course the bill was prepared as per my desire ( 3 and a half days)

knowing that my credit card was used to the brim and overflowing on account of the due payments… I decided to pay through my good old debit card… the receptionist ( lets call her R from now)… so R courteously took my card and swiped it… it declined … she looked at me… I gave her back the fake aristocratic look coupled with scorn…she tried again .. so R said “ Sorry sir but your card is not accepting the payment”… ego took a beating … wham.. . more than that I knew the amount of money in my account…. So where did it go…( I ll let you in on a secret…I work for the same bank) …called the call centre who told me that I could only swipe twenty grand per day and there was not much they could do about it…I could probably swipe the remaining amount tom..

great … credit card overdue… debit card not good for the full amount.. 370 rupees and some coins in wallet…what does his highness do.. . looks around.. collects the shattered ego and the aristocratic pretence.. tells them to swipe the card for 20 grand and the remaining can be settled in the morning and drags himself sheepishly back to the elevator…

next morning gets up early and checks out silently and with a bit of dignity… R was having the last laugh..

but then someone up there was watching… as it turned out, the friend I was going to stay with had suddenly fled the city … so his highness wonders what to do…

well in the evening heads back to the hotel… looks at the reception.. for signs of R… she is not there yippee.. asks for a room.. the receptionist checks to see for availability… but what luck R spots me… “ oh hello Sir you are back…oh of course we can extend a room to you…” .. checks in again… and then checks out the next morning… needless to say R checks me out again ( pun intended)

…ego and aristocracy went to the spa… sat in the Jacuzzi… bubbling with the bubbles


## “ Devil wears Prada” or as a friend of mine says “ Devil wears Pardah”