"Beep! Beep! Beep!", I woke up to my alarm sound. It's 8:30 in the morning. Normally I do not wake up this early. But, today I need to travel to Jaipur. I have booked a car for my journey and I need to pick it up at 9 am. This is not a restricted time boundations booking. I can go and pick it up anytime after 9. I checked my mobile phone and see the location of the car has been shared with me. Great! I walk outside my flat in New Delhi at around 9:30. The destination is just 15 minutes away. Cool!
I took an auto to reach the destination as it was cheaper and faster. It is a really beautiful sunny day. The roads are as usual filled with cars in the capital. 12 minutes to the destination and I open my Zoomcar app once again. The location and the car details are gone now. They don't even show any upcoming bookings on the app. Could be a glitch, I thought and looked outside. People are rushing towards their offices this Friday. 4 more minutes to reach the destination. I think about the city I always wanted to go to. An ancient city of Kings. A city of forts. A city painted pink. Jaipur has always been into my diaries all along. Actually, the whole Rajasthan has been but for now, the capital city is what I aim for. "This is your destination brother", said the auto-rickshaw driver. Zoomcar Car Rentals said the big board outside of the open parking area on the left side of the main road. 10:00 am and I am bang on time. I will reach Jaipur by 4 pm at this rate and the whole plan will be executed as I have planned.
I searched for the car with the licence plate number I still remember. "Yes, do you have a booking?", asked a man whose stomach could touch his knees if he bends down. He was wearing a red polo t-shirt and had moustache without a beard. "Yes", I said while looking at the cars. "What is the number?" I told him the number with the model of the car. "Oh! That has not come yet", he said expecting a disappointing reaction from me. "Oh! Okay! Alright! When will he come?", I asked calmly since I had all the time to go to Jaipur. "I think you should talk to customer care regarding this because once he comes, the car will go to the maintenance station for cleaning and lubrication. This usually takes 2 hours." That was too much time and I really could not afford losing two hours on my trip. I dialled the customer care number but it was unreachable. I tried 20 more times. Same response. I used the most effective way to reach Indian companies then. I tweeted about my situation and they were really fast to reply. They asked my number and a lady called me. "Listen, I had a booking and the car is not available. I need to go to Jaipur and I need to reach as soon as possible. I cannot wait till 12 or 1.", "Yes Sir, I understand your problem and will definitely help you. Let me check.". She put my call on the hold and the agent raised his eyebrows asking me "hey! What happened?". "The call is on hold," I said. "Don't worry this happen many....", "Thank you for waiting sir.", the lady spoke in between and I listened to her. "The car will not be available today before 2 pm sir, but I can book another car for you without extra charges.". I did not have any problem with that. I just needed four wheels, a sound system and a roof. I conveyed my feelings to her. "Okay, what's the number?". "Sir, that car will be available at 12 pm.", I looked at my watch and it was around 10:30 to 10:45. It would be very difficult for me to wait for another two hours. "Sorry, that would not be possible. My plan will be ruined." "I understand sir, can I call you in 5 minutes?", "Okay". She cut the call and I told everything to the agent.
He was not interested. I turned around and looked for a car for which I can request. No luck though. My phone rings again. "Hello Sir, We can arrange a Hyundai Verna for you but it is at another location. We will reimburse the cab fare two-way for you." I just stopped listening after she said, Hyundai Verna. "Hyundai Verna?" "Yes Sir, but it is on another location." I don't care. Hyundai Verna. I can go anywhere for that car and I was not charged anything too. "Okay, I will pick up.".
I booked the cab and went in the direction of my new destination. The driver was not sincere though. Sometimes he would look outside the window. Sometimes he would turn on the music. Sometimes he would start operating his mobile phone. He was not focussed and that cost us both. 5 minutes into the ride, his phone rings. From his left hand, he picks up the phone and starts talking to the person on the other side. We stop at a red light. 2 seconds before the red light, he cuts his phone but starts doing something in it. As the light turns green, the people start honking and it is kind of a natural way to understand that light is green without looking at it. His mind said the same to him and he releases the clutch. Bam! The car collided with the car in the front. "No! Man!!", I said to myself. I am already late and on the top of it, these things are happening. The car to which he collided had an HR plate. I understood we have to wait now. Jaipur has to wait more. The driver got out. He was wearing a white uniform and was a very short guy. He came straight to me rather talking to the driver. He indicated to push down the window glass. "Boss! You book another cab. I won't be leaving him soon." He said to me in confidence. "But I have already paid for this cab." "Don't worry that will be reimbursed but you need to book another cab. I can't leave him without taking proper compensation."
I got down from the cab and booked another one. It was a lot of adventure in just 1 hour. I did not need anything else. The Jaipur trip had not started well. I was doubtful about the rest of the trip and especially the journey. I was thinking all this when the driver said, "Sir, we have arrived." Another Zoomcar Rental board was in front of me. I got down and wished this is one step closer to Jaipur. I went straight to the office and told them about the booking. "Wait in the office, I will ask the manager." said the worker who was cleaning a car. The manager came a few moments later and asked me, "What car have you booked sir?", "Hyundai Verna, the number is this this this."
"Sorry Sir, that car has not yet come."
I took an auto to reach the destination as it was cheaper and faster. It is a really beautiful sunny day. The roads are as usual filled with cars in the capital. 12 minutes to the destination and I open my Zoomcar app once again. The location and the car details are gone now. They don't even show any upcoming bookings on the app. Could be a glitch, I thought and looked outside. People are rushing towards their offices this Friday. 4 more minutes to reach the destination. I think about the city I always wanted to go to. An ancient city of Kings. A city of forts. A city painted pink. Jaipur has always been into my diaries all along. Actually, the whole Rajasthan has been but for now, the capital city is what I aim for. "This is your destination brother", said the auto-rickshaw driver. Zoomcar Car Rentals said the big board outside of the open parking area on the left side of the main road. 10:00 am and I am bang on time. I will reach Jaipur by 4 pm at this rate and the whole plan will be executed as I have planned.
I searched for the car with the licence plate number I still remember. "Yes, do you have a booking?", asked a man whose stomach could touch his knees if he bends down. He was wearing a red polo t-shirt and had moustache without a beard. "Yes", I said while looking at the cars. "What is the number?" I told him the number with the model of the car. "Oh! That has not come yet", he said expecting a disappointing reaction from me. "Oh! Okay! Alright! When will he come?", I asked calmly since I had all the time to go to Jaipur. "I think you should talk to customer care regarding this because once he comes, the car will go to the maintenance station for cleaning and lubrication. This usually takes 2 hours." That was too much time and I really could not afford losing two hours on my trip. I dialled the customer care number but it was unreachable. I tried 20 more times. Same response. I used the most effective way to reach Indian companies then. I tweeted about my situation and they were really fast to reply. They asked my number and a lady called me. "Listen, I had a booking and the car is not available. I need to go to Jaipur and I need to reach as soon as possible. I cannot wait till 12 or 1.", "Yes Sir, I understand your problem and will definitely help you. Let me check.". She put my call on the hold and the agent raised his eyebrows asking me "hey! What happened?". "The call is on hold," I said. "Don't worry this happen many....", "Thank you for waiting sir.", the lady spoke in between and I listened to her. "The car will not be available today before 2 pm sir, but I can book another car for you without extra charges.". I did not have any problem with that. I just needed four wheels, a sound system and a roof. I conveyed my feelings to her. "Okay, what's the number?". "Sir, that car will be available at 12 pm.", I looked at my watch and it was around 10:30 to 10:45. It would be very difficult for me to wait for another two hours. "Sorry, that would not be possible. My plan will be ruined." "I understand sir, can I call you in 5 minutes?", "Okay". She cut the call and I told everything to the agent.
He was not interested. I turned around and looked for a car for which I can request. No luck though. My phone rings again. "Hello Sir, We can arrange a Hyundai Verna for you but it is at another location. We will reimburse the cab fare two-way for you." I just stopped listening after she said, Hyundai Verna. "Hyundai Verna?" "Yes Sir, but it is on another location." I don't care. Hyundai Verna. I can go anywhere for that car and I was not charged anything too. "Okay, I will pick up.".
I booked the cab and went in the direction of my new destination. The driver was not sincere though. Sometimes he would look outside the window. Sometimes he would turn on the music. Sometimes he would start operating his mobile phone. He was not focussed and that cost us both. 5 minutes into the ride, his phone rings. From his left hand, he picks up the phone and starts talking to the person on the other side. We stop at a red light. 2 seconds before the red light, he cuts his phone but starts doing something in it. As the light turns green, the people start honking and it is kind of a natural way to understand that light is green without looking at it. His mind said the same to him and he releases the clutch. Bam! The car collided with the car in the front. "No! Man!!", I said to myself. I am already late and on the top of it, these things are happening. The car to which he collided had an HR plate. I understood we have to wait now. Jaipur has to wait more. The driver got out. He was wearing a white uniform and was a very short guy. He came straight to me rather talking to the driver. He indicated to push down the window glass. "Boss! You book another cab. I won't be leaving him soon." He said to me in confidence. "But I have already paid for this cab." "Don't worry that will be reimbursed but you need to book another cab. I can't leave him without taking proper compensation."
I got down from the cab and booked another one. It was a lot of adventure in just 1 hour. I did not need anything else. The Jaipur trip had not started well. I was doubtful about the rest of the trip and especially the journey. I was thinking all this when the driver said, "Sir, we have arrived." Another Zoomcar Rental board was in front of me. I got down and wished this is one step closer to Jaipur. I went straight to the office and told them about the booking. "Wait in the office, I will ask the manager." said the worker who was cleaning a car. The manager came a few moments later and asked me, "What car have you booked sir?", "Hyundai Verna, the number is this this this."
"Sorry Sir, that car has not yet come."
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