Grilled chicken and more!

Our relaxed Friday evening gait was obvious when we walked in; the flurry of the working day visibly missing. A few familiar faces welcomed us, inquiring why we had not been visiting since a while. There was the comfort of familiarity but a strange ‘not right’ feel in the air. We visit here often, the daughter and me.

She ordered a smoothie while we waited for our takeaway, a grilled chicken sandwich for me and pasta for her. There was nothing complicated in the order.  I found myself inquiring to confirm that they had got the order right. The guy who took the order walked up to me quietly and whispered, ‘’Ma’m, there is a system error for beverages so I have not billed it.’’  I insist on a handwritten addendum to the bill.

With food in hand, a hungry stomach and a happy heart we head home. In five minutes we are opening our door. Just as we get down to plating the food, I am in for a shock.  It is an egg sandwich with exactly two pint-sized chicken pieces in the last layer. I look at the bill, for a second time, to make sure I had not got the wrong bag. Grilled chicken sandwich it says. A hungry me means a furious me! And being cheated means worse! I call up the number given. They give me another number for the branch I need. ‘’Usually our chicken sandwich is like that,’’ I am told nonchalantly.  ‘’But this is definitely not the grilled chicken I had eaten last time’’ I maintain.  Yes, mam, ‘’sometimes we make it this way,’’ the guy who served us comes on line and says. What do you mean sometimes? Why did you not inform me when I placed the order?

 A little while later, he is at my door. I return the egg sandwich and take the just delivered no-idea-which-sandwich.  He rings the bell again. Says I can keep the previous order.  No thanks, I refuse.  ‘’I am ashamed ma’m,’’ he says and leaves.

Apprehensively, I open the foil to find boiled chicken pieces, more than two, this time! I had by now given up hope of eating a grilled sandwich. Just when I get down to eating it, the phone rings again.  ‘’Ma’m, is it the right time to speak to you. ‘’About,’’ I ask. ‘’I am X from Y café. I just delivered the sandwich to your place. I want to apologise again, ma’m. We would not want to lose customers like you.’’ ‘’You already have, I said, still hungry! ‘’Ma’m, please do not highlight this. The management is going to shut the place down in January. The staff workers have not been given their salaries. And so, the cooks are not working properly.’’ ‘’Then why did you even take the order, I ask. Why cheat the customer?’’ ‘’I am sorry ma’m. ’’ ‘’Look for a new job, I advise. You need to think about your family.’’ He had just that evening mentioned his three-year-old daughter.

Does this whole episode have anything to do with demonetisation and its effects?

Maybe, maybe not!