Simple Simon buys a Guitar!
I want to learn
guitar from dsm
in summer holz.
Luv, prajeet
(04:21 pm 06-Feb-07)
The text message was from my younger son. By "dsm" he meant the Delhi School of Music.
Unknown to him, barely two hours earlier I had bought him a surprise gift. A guitar from the Musee Musicals in Chennai.
What synchronicity! Life can be so surprisingly beautiful at times!!
I was now on train to Trivandrum for work. One of the last things to do, before heading home over the weekend.
For next one hour I enjoyed reflecting upon all the wondrous things. The countryside that rolled by, my wife and two sons, and that beautifully crafted instrument now in my possession. For 16910, it was a steal.
One hour being up, I received a call from Citibank. They wanted to know if I had made any credit card purchase that day.
Yes.
Could you confirm the amount, please?
sixteen nine ninety something. (He assisted me with the exact digits towards the end.)
Thank you, Sir.
Any problems?
No, Sir. No problem. Have a good day!
During the call there was a text message from my wife: "Pl call up".
Did you make a credit card purchase?
Yes.
What was it?
(Oh no! These guys had called up home and destroyed the surprise!!)
Umm...a guitar. It's a surprise gift.
How much did you pay? Did the bank call up?
sixteen nine ninety something. Yes, they called and I confirmed it to them.
He said you signed for sixty nine thousand something!
Relax. It's 16990 and I just had a chat with them.
Well it turned out it was sixty nine thousand something. I called Musee Musicals.
Yes, Sir. the guitar is for 69110.
Oh, god. I don't want to buy such an expensive piece. Please, this has been an error. Could you give me Mr Kishore's cell number?
(Mr Kishore is the showroom manager.)
For the next two hours my office tried to locate the driver who had driven me to the showroom and to have the instrument returned. It was 8:20 pm when the void slip was issued.
Phew!
On Friday (Feb 9) I went back to Musee Musicals to apologise for the confusion I had caused and to say thanks for their understanding and co-operation.
I bought another beautiful, made-in-Spain Spanish Guitar. Two hours later I am again on the train, this time headed home. And the credit card company hasn't called to blow up the surprise.
It's a beautiful classical style instrument, not quite as expensive as the last. I tried it a while ago on train itself. Love the thicker nylon strings.
Oh btw, all the biggest stars visit Musee Musicals. Sivamani did on the 5th of February and wrote out a message in their visitors' book. Turn the page over and you'd see what I wrote the very next day, while waiting for the card to be swiped.
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