5th March, 2016 – Superstitious Co-incidence

What a surprising co-incidence took place today.

Two young boys had come for some take away. They asked for what ever they needed and then I listed all the items and the price on a rough paper and totaled it. The total amount was Rs.420. I recalled the event yesterday customer who had returned the bill to make some changes in the total.

Anyway, so one of the boys gave me a note of Rs.1000 and it clearly turned out to be a fake. He was shocked when I told him that and he asked me how do I know that the note is fake. I showed him one of the many features of the currency that is hard to imitate. There was also red line marked under the unique note number. He accepted my explanation and said, ‘I am sorry. I am duped.’ He asked his friend to pay.

There are also chances that he might have tried to push the fake note to me on purpose. I can only guess.

 

4th March, 2016 – Superstitious

A waiter asked for a bill of two customers sitting inside which totaled to Rs.420. He sent the bill back immediately telling the waiter to change the total amount of the bill. For those who don’t know what’s wrong with that number, it is a loose synonym for duping, cheating, tricking or fooling for money.

That customer was superstitious that he might he get duped by someone if he pays that amount to us. So we gave him Rs.2 coin and added Rs. 2 in the bill and then submitted the bill again. He paid us Rs.422 and left.

3rd March, 2016 – Theft by trick

Dad was standing outside our bar talking with another person. There was some argument happening at the Pan Shop beside the kitchen counter. Dad was scolding the owner of the Pan Shop, PK. ‘Send them away! Don’t you have any common sense? They are thieves!’ Two young girls were walking away when I saw in the direction he was shouting at.

SM went to PK and asked him what happened and came back to tell me. ‘Those girls asked PK if he wanted some coins. He said alright and they put all the coins on his counter. PK and his boy counted and it was Rs.400. But those girls insisted that it was Rs.500. When PK told them that he is counting right in front of their eyes, they claimed he had tricked them and began to fight with him. Boss noticed the voices getting louder and so he scolded. PK got scared and gave back all the coins and sent the girls away.’

The girls, I noticed from their ethnic wear, were Lambanis. They are nomads from Rajasthan. It’s a routine what they do. They beg or do some petty work. Then they go to some busy store to buy something, give him a Rs.50 or Rs.100 note. When the retailer gives them change they say that they had given a Rs. 500 note. A lot of retailers get fooled, that’s what keeps them going. I have ran into such situations myself earlier when I had little experience but have not succumbed to these tricks. The managers were there and they would shout at them and send them away with their money.

2nd March, 2016 – Customer shake

There were three customers occupying a table. SM had made a mistake in writing the order. He had written 3 quarters of OT instead of 2. The waiter had also not checked it and had submitted the invoice to them. They were arguing inside with the waiter and so he brought back the bill for correction. The waiter for sure he had served only 2 quarters. SM corrected the invoice and told the waiter to apologize.
Few minutes later, the waiter came back complaining that the customers were squabbling with him. They were saying they won’t pay for the bill because we made a mistake.
So, SM went inside to speak with the customer. He requested them, ‘Sorry, I made a mistake of adding a quarter to your invoice instead of writing it for other table. This is the correct invoice. Please pay the bill.’
One of the customer asked, ‘Who the hell are you?’
SM annoyingly replied, ‘I am the manager here.’
The customer retorted, ‘Then what the hell are you doing here! Go back to your counter!’
This made SM really angry and so he grabbed shoulders of two customers before him and roughed them up really bad. They were really shaken and said, ‘Calm down, brother. You go away please. I will hand over the amount to your customer.’
And they paid the bill and left.
SM was laughing at what had just happened and said, ‘Look at their nerves telling me to go back to my place in our own bar.’

Men get so brave after a few drinks, but nothing that a good shake won’t drop it off.

1st March, 2016 – Daredevil act

The waiter who we paid the loan on behalf of him yesterday, was really asking me for a cigarette. He was stressed and claimed he had headache which can be relieved only with a cigarette. I was ready to give him but he wanted to take a break for it during duty. I did not allow him that and told him he can do what ever he wishes after all the work has been done. But he tricked me and bought it anyway and smoked one. He bought three more later at night after he completed all his duties.
This morning, SM told me that at 1.30 am, the waiter jumped off our building, walked to bus-stand which is about 2.5 kms, smoked a few cigarettes and came back. I called the waiter and asked him, why he did it. He said, ‘The pain in my head was unbearable boss. I asked the guy with the key, but he did not give it to me. I could not think straight and just wanted some cigarettes badly, so I carefully climbed down the building and did my business.’ Since many of our waiters and other worker stay in the bar building, the shutters are locked from inside by any one responsible guy and they key remains with him.
I pulled him out and asked him how he did it. He brought me outside and pointed to the window, ‘I climbed outside this window to the outside sill and slowly walked on it to the edge of the wall.’ Then he pointed to the building of our neighboring hotel whose ceiling has been extended beyond the front wall. ‘I jumped across to this building. Then I posted my foot on the gate.’ There is a small gate between the passage of our buildings. ‘I climbed down the gate and then walked to bus-stand. I came back and stood there silently wondering how to get back up, because I had forgotten how I came down. I racked my brains for few minutes before it hit me and then I pulled myself up the same way.’
‘Who caught you?’
‘Nobody. When the Boss (my Dad) came this morning, I admitted it myself before anyone else could tell on me.’
That surprised me. I asked him what the Boss said. He replied, ‘He said I should not do any such daredevil acts because if something were to happen to me he will be held responsible. He might have to face the heat. I told him I will not do any thing that would risk his intergrity.’
SM was there and he told him ‘You are lucky no policeman found you. If you had been caught during your stunt, you would have been taken straight to police station and they would beat you up with sticks before they ask you what you were doing.’
That got him really scared and he said he won’t go out late at night anywhere from now on.

29th January, 2016 – Empty threats

Remember I keep telling you that we have a huge shortage of currency of denomination 1, 2 and 5 Rupees. There is a village about 60 kms far where there is an old temple and lakhs of devotees visit everyday. All the offering made by devotees goes to the only bank the village has. We are on good terms with them so they exchange coins with us for cash. Loads of cash.

By good terms I mean bribing some staff with sweets and a bottle or two of liquor.I was not in the bar today since I had gone to get the coins along with my driver in my car.

The money lenders who had lent money to our waiter visited our bar today. The waiter was on duty at that time. They had taken a few drinks some place else before coming to take their money. SM called the waiter and paid them Rs.2000 before him.
SM assumed this was all cleared but the lenders began to abuse our waiter. They threatened him that they will beat him up if he is found in their town. SM tried to convince them asking, ‘Why do you want to beat him up now? Your money has been repaid to you.’
But they just did not have any reason and kept yelling and bad mouthing the waiter. They were disturbing the sanity of our business. Finally, SM told them, once and loudly, ‘Hey! If you really want to fight, first give me that money back! Then I will see what you can do about it!’
This brought some sense into them and they became silent. Of course not until they said before leaving, ‘We are going to get a truck load of men from our town and we will beat you all up!’ All our staff, and some customers, laughed at his empty threat.

28th February, 2016 – Imaginary partner

We have a customer who visits us occasionally. He is in his late 60s and mental. He speaks all sorts of nonsense and false exaggerations while he is drinking. Our managers in the counter tease him and encourage to speak more lies, because it happens to be very funny and entertaining. Let’s call him BT.
He had come at 9.30 pm today and got to his usual non-sensical talk. At one point, he was saying, ‘I f**cked her real good!’
SM – U still get stiff?
You should remember that SM (our manager) was only having fun with him and none of it is true.
BT – What do you mean by if I get stiff? I did her good. She is a teacher.
SM – Oh really. Lucky you. Can I have her number?
BT – Yeah, sure. Note it down.
SM – Not now. I will let you know when I need it.
While this conversation was happening, AG was listening to it all. Now, I have mentioned AG a few times before. He is our regulare customer who stands outside to drink his 150ml of Director’s Special.
When BT was leaving, AG called him and began to have a conversation with him that was inaudible to us. Then AG took his mobile out and saved a number shared by BT, assuming that BT was sane and his babbling was real.
I have observed AG many times. He eyes at young girls bad. He is always tempted and greedy, even though he is married. SM and AK were sure that he is an addict and buys it.