I did it again! No, am not referring to any famous song but rather to my runaway expenses. Of late, they have been reaching alarming proportions and hence the attempt at parsimony. Well, anyway, the incident I was referring to was one in which I was trying to buy a ticket back to my current base of operations from Bangalore, where I had been to attend a friend's wedding.
Well, the story starts right after I landed up at Bangalore. The bus dropped anchor at Kalasipalyam, a place I'd not heard of till then. Undeterred, I tried to get down to the business of buying my return ticket, but realised I'd forgotten to draw any cash before I'd started on the journey. So, from looking out for booking agencies, I turned to looking out for ATMs. Luckily there was one round the corner, but for reasons best left unasked, it played truant and wouldn't cough up any currency. Disappointed, I walked down to the nearest travel agent who'd accept a credit card (to those who're new to the Indian way of doing business, credit cards are not really welcome in all parts of the country though they're quickly making up for lost time, at least in the cities). I enquired the price of a ticket for the return journey and was shocked when I heard the man at the counter. I mean, I'm known to fling money about a bit too recklessly when the mood seizes me, but this was too much, even for me. I decided to put the matter on hold and look at the more immediate issue of locating the marriage hall which was, as far as I knew, quite a long way off.
Once I'd settled down at the luxurious room which my generous friend had booked for me and my parents, I again started out on the ticket hunt, determined to find something that wouldn't endanger my short-term financial health. I scoured the neighbourhood and the one agent that I did find was closed for the day. I did find another one, but that one too was insanely expensive. I had to return the next day right after the wedding, but I didn't want to budge from my stance of not paying a bomb, even if it meant the delay of an hour or two. I laid the matter to rest, although temporarily, relaxing instead in the cheerful ambience of the wedding. My buddy's folks were treating us (my parents and me) like visiting royalty and I was really touched. The dinner was not something that I'd forget in a hurry either. I happily spent the night talking to my mother and then falling off to sleep in the comfort of a nice warm bed.
After attending the wedding ceremony the next morning, I went straight to the agent who was closed the previous evening. He was open and he promised me a ticket within a couple of hours. I began to relax a bit, but when the man didn't call up to confirm as promised, I grew anxious; I had not intention of skipping office the next day. He finally did call and informed me that the ticket was not actually confirmed, but that he was trying his best to get me a seat. I murmured something in reply and asked if he could please close it ASAP.
At long last, he came through for me but I drew back in surprise when he gave me the final bill - after his incidental expenses in trying to get the ticket, it worked out to the same price as that of the "insanely expensive" ticket!!
