So im working the Auditions for a play called “Twelve Ophelias”. Told my girlfriend i wasnt working at night, but then this happened. Shhh. Had a list of 8 people. So far only 3 have showed up. I want to go home, but i have to wait for one more person. And just my luck, that person was able to confirm he would be making it on time for his audition. Aint that just teh suck.
On another note, Ishan told me that i hadnt blogged an incedent that had happened on saturday.
So its me and Ishan working the box office. And the performance is part of a film festival for some guy named Satyijit Ray. A famous Indian director. Well normally when you got to a “film festival” one may believe that they are going to sit in a theater and see a show on 35 millimeter film. Which normally would be the case. But as the people at the www….org (I’ve decided not to name the company running the production… not the one i work for, some other bootlegged operation) This film festival will be using today’s media medium fad of the time. the DVD. Yes folks, its a film festival, in which we charged $10 for you to sit in a school auditorium and watch some DVDs. Well for the laymen, this would be perfectly fine, unnoticeable. I mean who cares, its a movie, in a theater, $10? what else is new, everything is $10s. (The Theatre in which we showed the films, is a very nice theatre mind you, very nice indeed, off-broadwayish huge hall.) But on that day, Saturday, we had several people become upset when they found out they were watching a DVD, and not some restored footage set on reel, to be viewed by those willing to pay. Some wanted their money back. And so we did return their money. I mean it was after all.. a DVD, that probably could have been rented for free at the video archive at your local public library. But what i wish to highlight with this blog is one particular dissatisfied customer. We will call him Jack.
This dissatisfied customer, bought two tickets ($20, and was with his “girlfriend”) They had their tickets cut, and sat down in their seats. Shortly after Jack realized that it was a DVD he was about to watch, shown through this projector he was a little furious. He left the theater, came over to the box office (of which me and Ishan had been talking about, probably Transformers) and demanded his money back. No it wasn’t like, excuse me, i would like to know if i could…. no.. it was more liike…. “Give me my money back!” Now Ishan was the one to receive this person. And he said “Im sorry sir the tickets are non refundable” Which is our policy, but management had told us because of the type of performance it was, that we could do it when we felt it was okay to. Jack then went on to state that he wants his money back and that Ishan should give him his money back. Ishan of course, calmly said again “Im sorry it is our policy”. Well Jack then began to get a little agitated, and during a volley of comments sent in Ishan’s directions, called Ishan a ROBOT. Meaning of course that he just follows orders, no matter what. The man said things like “You know this isnt right, its a damn DVD, and you are charging $10 for it!, i want my money back. This just isn’t right, you know its not right,… and all you can say is its against policy. EVEN though you know this isn’t right! I just gave you my money a minute ago, this isn’t what i was paying for!”
Well at this point i had whispered to Ishan to just give the man his money. But … Ishan… saw an opportunity that he wished to take advantage of. Ishan let the man squirm in front of his female companion. He let the man go off on his wild tangent about right and wrong and why he should be given a refund. He even apologized for calling Ishan a Robot. To which Ishan replied, “tell you what, I’ll give you your refund, if you go back in the theatre and complain for 20 more minutes.” I watched and sat there stunned at Ishan’s request. 20 more minutes… I mean be reasonable, but at this point you could tell that Ishan was taking much joy out of getting this person to literally beg for his money back.
Well eventually. Ishan decided he had enough fun and gave the man his money back, and in doing so said something like “And never come back here again”
{end} (was that good?)
