So, there I was with my telephone at 8.30AM on Tuesday, trying to get through to the two numbers listed in the ad. The time for calling in was from 9.00AM to 5.00PM, but I figured I might get lucky if I called early. The lines were engaged. Come 9.00AM, and the lines were still engaged. I tried continuously till 9.30AM, but without any luck. I then tried every half-hour on the half-hour, but just couldn't get through. I finally managed to connect at around 12.30PM, just as I was about to sit for lunch. A very sweet voice took down the details and I managed to book four tickets for the 5.00PM show on Saturday. The sweet voice also promised to deliver the tickets on Thursday, between 9.00AM and 4.00PM, to my work address.

By Thursday, 5.00PM there was still no sign of the tickets. I asked my secretary to call the numbers listed in the ad again. She managed to get through in five minutes (some things are best done by secretaries) and immediately transferred the call to me, telling me in a hushed tone, that there were no tickets available. I immediately took over, and the sweet voice at the other end told me very apologetically that there had been a computer screw-up on Tuesday, which had led to overbooking and my allotted tickets had been cancelled. She offered me tickets for other shows, but that wouldn't placate me. I was furious. I had worked out the entire evening based on the promised tickets. Moreover, I could have sent someone from the office to stand in the queue to get tickets on Wednesday, if I had known this earlier. The sweet voice kept telling me how they had tried their utmost to call me, but just could not get through to the numbers I had given them. What bull! When I insisted on speaking to her superior, she just hung up. I was hopping mad.

Trying to figure out what to do, I called my card-issuing bank, giving them the details. They said they couldn't do anything, but they did give me the name and number of a VISA customer service person in Bangalore, since that is where VISA's one and only office in India is located. I called the number and asked for Vinod, who was apparently in a meeting. When I told the secretary it was regarding a complaint against VISA, Vinod immediately came on the line. I started narrating my long, woeful story, reining in my anger for the moment. As soon as he heard that I had been promised four tickets and had been given a transaction number, he cut me short politely and asked me just two questions, "Shall I call you back, since you are calling long distance?" and "Are you sure the transaction was not disapproved by the bank?" I didn't want to lose connection, so I continued with the conversation telling him that I was sure my card had not been disapproved. He then completely disarmed me by saying that I would get the tickets within 24 hours. That was it....no explanations or pleading required. Just a "You were promised tickets and you will get them. I am sorry for the mess." Wow! I was impressed. I double-checked this with him, since customer grievance redressal in this manner, is something completely unexpected in our part of the world. I then asked for and took his direct number down and threatened to trouble him the next day if I didn't get the tickets.

An hour later, another sweet voice called up and promised to deliver six tickets (two complimentary for the anguish caused), the next day. Not believing her, I took down her name and direct number. The tickets were actually delivered (I declined the extra tickets) on Friday afternoon.

There were more surprises in store.

As we got out of the car outside Sterling, the usual touts accosted us, asking us if we wanted to buy tickets in black (scalper's tickets). I refused, but just out of curiosity asked for the rates. I would have expected the Rs. 87 tickets to sell for at least around Rs. 150. He said I could have the tickets for the actual price. I couldn't believe it. As we reached the theatre, we found the usually belligerent and cocky black-ticket-sellers, desperately trying to offload their tickets at the actual ticket price. There was also a whole bunch of people with extra tickets trying to sell them off. I spoke to a few of them and learnt that since the movie had been released simultaneously in a record nine theatres in Mumbai, no individual theatre had a big rush. A lot of people had blocked tickets anticipating a big, but eventually non-existent response. For the first time, I saw tickets for a house-full show freely available outside the theatre at the actual ticket price and it was a real pleasure, watching the plight of the black-ticket sellers who otherwise hold us to ransom. I too had landed up with one extra ticket, and I eventually used the extra seat to keep our bags and snacks on.

What about the film? Under threat of dire consequences, I am not going to review it. But I loved it and almost shouted the theatre-owners down when they broke up the pod-race halfway through the movie to make time for the interval - this can happen only in India.

We then went to a new restaurant called Sanuk Thai at Kala Ghoda, next to Chetana. It had opened only four days ago, on Dassera and the staff was still extremely courteous and enthusiastic, hovering around us, making the entire experience very pleasurable. No rudeness and more important, no patronizing. The food was not as good as at the Thai Pavilion, but the Thai Pavilion has had a ten-year head start anyway.

So much customer-oriented behavior in one week has been a little too much for me. Maybe, the times are a-changing...but I will need to get used to this if it persists.