Yesterday, I went to Landmark at Forum and bought a book. I generally don’t. My place is Strand – one, because of the homely atmosphere; and two, because of the book-lover discount that you get on anything you buy!
My wife and I had gone to Forum to catch a movie, which wasn’t to be, so we walked into Landmark, and bought this book ‘What Should I Do With My Life?’. The rupee-conversion was precise, and the book was priced Rs 260.70. Fine. I went to pay the bill, gave the cashier a Rs 500 note, and he nonchalantly returned Rs 239. What about the 30 paise...?
Yeah, what about the 30 paise? I wouldn’t have minded the book being priced at a rounded off Rs 261, or even a further rounded off Rs 265, if the store doesn’t like dealing in smaller denominations. But, no! They price it at Rs 260.70, and then take it for granted that the 30 paise don’t matter to me. Like hell! If the frigging 70 paise matter to you, the 30 do to me, too.
I had a good mind to demand the 30 paise, except that both my wife and I were feeling pretty sick from the combined scents assailing our nostrils from the perfume counter facing the billing counter. What’s with that perfume counter location...? Is it supposed to remind you that all the perfumes of Arabia or wherever can’t get rid of the stink of dubious practices at the billing counter?
