Tonight I went to watch "Orange" - second show. First day. You'd know how things would be on first days. Late night shows. Crowd waiting to catch their idol in video. Hero worship, you know. This is India. Well, Tollywood !
Anyway, I was too late. The line was too big. I already knew by yesterday morning that I won't be able to get direct tickets. It had to be something in 'black'. Black market. I hate to promote it. But I did. Rs.200 for Rs.40 ticket. Not even balcony. For a flop movie. So they say. I had to watch it on the first day. I wanted to do that. Long time, you know. First days, front rows. Never been there. Front rows on the first day, I mean.
Got out to have something to eat. The roadside idly/dosa/etc wallah was not too busy. I touched the Mysore bonda. It wasn't hot. Bad to eat. Had to go with my fav idly again. Atleast it was in a box with a lid. 4 idlys. Little chutney, and some masala powder (we call it podi in telugu). Two idlys later I had to refill the chutney and podi.
"Rs.2 extra for the podi", he said.
I have to agree I thought that the cost per plate of idly may be more, but extra charge for podi ?
"Extra charge for podi ?", I said laughing. I'd like to keep it cool.
"Tell me one thing babu. You don't look like you've got tickets to the movie by standing in the line. You would've got it in black. Very costly. You pay so much for that ticket and you can't give Rs.2 for podi ?"
I thought. No, wait a minute. I didn't. I laughed. "My friends got them for me", I lied. Both of us knew. He was about to start a lecture and spoke the first two words (I guess) when I interrupted him. "I didn't say that I won't pay for podi", was my reply. That stopped him. I gave him Rs.12 more out of an "its alright" funda.
Now that I think about it, that was really crap. The logic, I mean. His logic. The movie tickets were in demand and his idly/vada/etc were not. I wanted to watch the movie, its difficult to get the tickets. I wouldn't mind eating pani-puri (whose price wasn't hiked up. I know - I ate them too.) instead of his idly. Demand-Supply => price, right ? It doesn't matter how the movie was. It was packaged well, it had high demand. Marketing, direction, previous movie performance, etc., you know. His podi had to be worth the Rs.2 that he demanded.
I don't like giving charity when it isn't worth it. Be it Re.1 or whatever. That is why I think I won't pay extra again if it isn't worth it and when I have a choice (supply, remember?).
