My buddy dropped in from USA for a few days at Gurgaon. He was putting up at a Guest House. We would hang out often during the evenings during his two week visit. It took me to some new corners around the Mall Road (MG Road).
On the first evening when I was supposed to pick him up I kept looking for K10. Incidentally I discovered a street labeled K7, then K9, then K11. I assumed that K10 must be somewhere between K9 and K11 and kept spinning like a ‘jalebi’, tightening the noose around my scale of patience. Then wisdom dawned and I asked someone to be directed a street beyond K11, ‘Welcome to orderliness, there is order even in randomness.’ There is a book called ‘Chaos Yoga’ by the ways for those who think that disorderliness and order are two ends of the spectrum.
As it happens everytime, I have to ask for my way in, and then ask my way out, however simple the routes are, and so we did. My friend Valli being a newbie attempted to direct us out…eventually we did make it. This happened on a few more nights, but this time the ‘jalebis’ had less of ‘lachchas’ (spirals). I had memorized that 10 comes after 11.
Valli went back a few days later, but forgot to carry his beloved possession, a pair of ‘Teva’ amphis. When he called me to pick them up a voice in my head said, ‘Forget it buddy, they are mine now.’
Following the same ‘lachchas’ in the neighborhood I reached the guest house. The guard showed me in. I was returning from my gym and looked like the truant who just had a bash in a muddy football field. I was out on my Activa (I usually ride it between home and the gym) on the rainy day. As water dripped from my head like the Aliens from AVP, I asked the Manager at the desk after being greeted with a pleasant smile.
‘My friend who stayed here and left a few days back forgot his slippers/sandals. I have come to get them.’
‘He forgot his slippers sir?’
‘Not exactly slippers, more like sandals.’
‘Sandals, I will check.’ Again a pleasant smile from the young lady.
She called someone on the phone apprising the situation. I strolled around in the lobby looking at my reflection in the big mirror, examining a few paintings that failed to engage me. I liked my reflection the best amidst all, I went back to check it out again, the slimy Alien. A few minutes later a man came out with a pair of slippers that looked as if they had been chewed by a dog being trained to be vicious.
‘They won’t be the ones, would they?’ The lady asked.
‘I said sandals.’
‘Would you know what color?’
‘Just get anything you have. By the way the brand is TEVA.’
‘But Sir any colors.’
This time I gave a vicious look, worse that the chews. ‘I don’t know.’
The young man who came out with the slippers disappeared again after being instructed by the lady.
‘The Teva’s are one of the most expensive…’ I added. And I did mean it, for us outdoorsy types, we relish our Tevas and Columbias more than what they actually cost.
‘Do you know which room he was staying in?’
‘No idea. My friend however is a South Indian, dark, slim and my height. Do you remember having seen him?’
Meanwhile the young man emerged again with something that looked even worse, perhaps the worst model ever manufactured by the Khadim’s, Maya Sarabhai would have swooned at such a sight.
‘I really did mean very expensive sandals when I said so. Is that all you have?’
‘Is there anything else?’ The lady asked the young man.
He nod his head.
‘How could you be so irresponsible? Lost something that a guest has left behind. Professional is it?’
‘I don’t really know sir.’
‘My friend called your office here and told them to keep it safe and unless one of your people have comfortably started using it, it should be around.’
‘Sir if you can tell me which room he was staying in?’
‘How do I know, check it on your computer.’ I was upset. So upset.
‘How do you spell his name sir?’
‘Valli, or it should be Thirinavukkaras or Vallinayagam.’ For once I really felt that a shorter name could make the job easier.
‘We don’t have any on our recored.’
‘But he stayed here, I came to drop him off.’
‘Sir let me ask Mr. Gupta, someone stayed in one of the rooms he picked up. He said that we need not take his credentials.’
‘What would Mr. Gupta do? If a guest has forgotten something, it should be around in your guest house.’ I thought for a moment. ‘Is there any other guest house next to this one?’
‘Sir there is a beauty parlor next to it and a private house.’
‘No Guest House?’
‘No sir, only a beauty parlor. But there are two more guest houses in that direction and in that direction.’ She pointed out in two directions that looked like a couple of blocks away.
‘But I came to drop him off and I remember this is the guest house.’
‘Sir if you can give me your number then I can send it to your place when we find any.’
‘You better do it, I can’t come here again and again. And give me yours too. What’s your name?’
‘Renu Sir.’
‘Write your phone number on a piece of paper.’
She tore 1/1000th piece from an A4 (If by any change Maya Sarabhai had recovered by then she would have swooned again) and wrote her phone number.
And with some parting words that I would check with my friend and inform him of the irresponsible guest house, blah blah, I left.
I next sent an email to Valli that I shall quote as the transcript below:
SUBJECT: GUEST HOUSE ADDRESS (MONDAY AUG 2 10:14 AM SHUBHAM TO VALLI)
Is the address of the guest house M2 33/34. I went there yesterday they didn’t have any TEVAS. I think I visited the wrong guest house. Please correct me if I am wrong.
(MONDAY AUG 2 11:20 AM VALLI TO SHUBHAM)
my god! it is K10 / 27E: Sterling Residency (I was staying in Room 201…)
(MONDAY AUG 2, 11:28 AM SHUBHAM TO VALLI)
I scolded the wrong bunch of people for losing something they hadn’t. Awesome JOB. Will visit Sterling today.
(MONDAY AUG 2, 11:30 AM SHUBHAM TO VALLI)
Just called the lady up and apologized
(MONDAY AUG 2, 4:40 PM VALLI TO SHUBHAM)
lol! where did u get the m2 33/34 from?!
(MONDAY AUG 2, 4:45 PM SHUBHAM TO VALLI)
Gut
(TUESDAY 3, 10:16 PM SHUBHAM TO VALLI)
Got the tevas
2nd of August was a week after Valli had left and by then I had forgotten that the address was K10. I just appeared at the gate of the guest house by orientation ‘GUT’. However I did feel very light after I called Renu up and apologized. She sounded more embarrassed than me while I was apologizing.
recently we were doing a programme and one question that was asked was, if you were travelling singapore airlines and your baggage arrived late or the stewardess was rude ….and the same happend on air india who would you be more disappointed with? the answer was Singapore Airlines…because with air india you expect such a thing to happen .
you were so sure that if anyone forgets a pair of Teva’s in a guest house in delhi…one would definitely not find it:) all your reactions followed suit.
Excellent perspective Nayana…
Had I been visiting run down Guest House instead of a professional one, I would have looked at the feet of the Manager first to check whether he was wearing the TEVAS. Or I might not have gone at all. Like I would really fight hard to get my ITR claims in USA, but in India I just sit back with the assumption that I won’t get any.