My Mobile's Gone

I have spent the better part of last hour trying to get my mobile back up again. It was supposed to be a routine affair- with the balance finished, I drove to the nearby market (the car must have touched atleast 5 people on the way- no, nobody was hit) and bought a recharge coupon.

Back home, I tried recharging the phone 4 times using the coupon, but to no avail. Each time I tried, I received the same response: "Error code, indicates voucher not found."

So I drove back to the market (this time I was in the passenger seat) and went back to the tiny cubicle from which the mobile shop operates. The owner tried another 6 times, and then tried calling the Hutch Customer Service, all to no avail.

Initially, he told me Aapka phone band ho gaya hai. Phir sare paper dene padhenge. This really irritated me. I told him Mera to lifetime recharge hai. Expiry hogi 2012 mein. Then he said Woh to theek hai, par aapko firse sare paper jama karvaane padhenge. I said Lekin message aa raha hai ki Card Invalid. Phone to chal raha hai.

Then he softened. He told me that apparently, the Hutch server is down. So it will refuse to recharge mobile phones for some more time. While I was waiting, I saw them turn back 6 customers who wanted to buy Hutch Prepaid Cards.

I asked Has this ever happened before? He said Yes, yeh hota rehta hai. I asked Kitni der tak rehta hai? He said Kuch ek ghanta, kabhi do bhi.

So there was no real point in waiting there. He returned the card, took down its serial number, recharge code (okaaaay), and my contact numbers. He said Don't try again. Your phone and this card can be locked. He also said I will keep trying, and when I get through I will call you up.

I said okay. There was no other way other than to trust him. While leaving, I had to say, Aap bengali ho? Main bhi bengali hoon, lekin bangla nahin aati.

No, I ain't Bangla, but had to relate to him just in case. Wonder what difference it will make though.

I regret telling him at one point of time, rather angrily, Phir meko aap doosra card de do. Of course, there was no point of saying that and I regret it even more now.

So, I have 29 paise left in the phone. No calls, no messages. Lekin aap log call kar sakte ho.