The other day I wanted to connect with SBI Card helpline. I rang up the number but the voice at the other end was so inaudible that even after aching my ears by pressing the phone, I could not make out what I was hearing. So I left and decided to attempt later.
Later I tried my luck while in office and while travelling, but to due to disturbances, I could not make the contact. So I decided that evening time while at home would be the best time to call.
I was determined that I will make the contact anyhow to-day. So the ordeal started and ended up in despair. What happened is narrated below.
After coming home and having the usual cup of tea (no snacks, they interfere with dinner), discarding the newspaper, which I invariably go through page by page, I embarked upon my endeavour to contact the SBI Card helpline. I rang up the number and after abiding with the instructions obediently to give my choice of language i.e. Marathi/Hindi/English and entering the 16-digits of the card, I was being given the options to choose from from 1 to ..... I was halfway through eagerly awaiting the option that would be of my use, my wife suddenly appeared before me loudly telling me something. I turned my attention towards her, but suddenly it struck me that she can wait. When this realisation was coming to my mind, I heard from the telephone that I had not exercised my option and should try again. Thus my first attempt went in vain.
When I was continuing with my 2nd attempt, at the opportune moment, my grand daughter came to me running to show some achievement she has made. The culprits - my wife and my daughter - who sent the tiny girl to get the appreciation of the grandpa were eagerly looking for my reaction. After all she was my proud grand daughter and she gets the precedence over whatever I was doing. Moreover I cannot take the risk of inviting the wrath of my daughter who had come for her vacation and her mother is also equally important. So I had to abandon the SBI helpline and lister to the tiny girl and give her my appreciation for whatever silly thing she had done.
As I was quite determined to continue with my task, I again telephoned the helpline. This time also I ran out of luck, as at the opportune moment, the door bell was pressed by someone, the sound of which was quite enough to overpower what I was hearing through the wires.
The fourth attempt was similarly interrupted by the shrilling sound of the steam escaping from the pressure cooker. Yes, I stay in the two bed room quarter, where all the rooms are so nearby the noise at the other room can easily disturb the other.
The fifth attempt also did not end any better, this time the culprit being the mobile phone which wanted my immediate attention, as my boss was on the other side.
The next attempt also ended up in failure because after entering the 16-digit number so many times at a stretch, there was a bit of failure in co-ordination of the eyes, fingers and the brain which resulted in my pressing a wrong digit making me to go through the procedure once again
This time my determination became even stronger. So I gave strict instructions to keep the main door open (so that the door bell do not ring), to keep the grand daughter in good mood so that she does not cry, keep the pantry work suspended, switched off the mobile, closed the bed room door. Went to the bath room and washed my face splashing lot of water in the eyes to keep it alert. After satisfying myself that all precautions have been taken to avoid any further disturbance, I went near the window (I forgot to tell that I have a cordless phone connected to the landline) and again rang up the helpline. To my utter despair and dismay, when the opportune moment came, the fellow downbelow found that moment only quite right for him to enter the flat blaring his car horn.
Having met with so much failure I suddenly remembered the story of Gajini Md. So I decided to try my luck with the mobile. I closed even the window now making the room airtight. The mobile went off after a single ring. Not knowing what had happened, I stared at the mobile which read "Signal was lost".
