How high a price?!
I was reading Kaps’ post on the Rahman concert in Singapore and the exorbitant prices of the tickets. That made me wonder, “What price would be considered too high to attend a Rahman concert!” And, of course, it led me to think about my great adventure. I obviously cannot answer the price question for others, but I surely can for myself. So here is that sequence of events. :-)
[Note: There is not the slightest bit of exaggeration in any of the events.]
Jan 2003:
After hearing news about an A R Rahman concert in Madras, I spend the entire day jumping around in joy...that is before I call up my aunt in Madras to book the ticket. Turns out that even Avi & GD want to attend the concert. So I call her up and change it to 3 tickets. The next day I have the tickets in my possession, and life is great. The concert is scheduled to happen on Feb 21st, 6:30 PM. It is a Friday, but that isn’t too much of a problem – I easily get my leave application approved.
Feb 2003:
The D-Day nears, and the excitement is so damn palpable. It is the first week of Feb, and I am working with some code, when I get a phone call from my mother. This is how the conversation went:
Mom: “Sridhar, you’ve got the date for your IIM Ahmedabad interview”
Me: “Oh ok. When is it?”
Mom: “Feb 22nd. IIM B campus”
Me: “22nd…hmm…ok.”
Mom: “So, shall I ask Radha (my aunt) to sell the tickets?”
Me (to myself): “@#$%$#%#$%$#%”
Me (to Mom): “Huh??? WHY?!!!”
Mom: “Concert is on 21st night. Madras. Interview on 22nd morning. Bangalore.”
Me: “So?”
Mom: “So…is it ok if I ask her to sell your ticket alone? I guess Avinash & GD would still be going.”
Me: “Oh god! Why are you complicating matters! Ok fine…don’t get tense. Let me check the IIMA website whether they have a provision to change dates.”
(I go to www.nba.com, look at the latest scores)
Me: “Ma. The site has nothing on changing dates. It is ok, the B & C dates are sometime in March, I will attend those. Chuck this…fine?”
(silence at the other end)
(more silence)
Me: “Ma?”
Mom: “You have no seriousness in life. You do not know your priorities. You talk to your dad. I am fed up with you.” (bangs the phone down hard)
Fifteen minutes later, dad is on the phone.
Dad: “Sridhar?”
Me: “Ah..appa. Why is mother acting like this? It is just one institute’s interview. There are 5 more anyway. I hope you told her to relax a bit.”
(silence at the other end)
Me: “Appa???”
Dad: “Dei. I can’t let you do this. You are attending the interview. I do not give a damn about the concert!”
Me: “But appa, I don’t give a damn about the interview. Not one bit. I will go for the concert. I don’t see how you can actually stop me…”
Dad: “No da, this is not right. This is not the right behaviour.”
Me: “Hmm…ok fine fine. Give me time till tonight, I shall try coming up with some idea. Ok?”
Dad: “………..Ok. But interview…IS…MUST!”
An hour later with GD, Avi & Hebbar at the cafeteria over coffee.
Avi: “Chilli, what is wrong with you da?”
Hebbar: “Seriously!”
GD: “You must attend the interview dude…”
Me: “People! What is wrong with the whole damn world? I am attending the concert. Now come up with some idea that will rope in the stupid interview as well…”
(people thinking)
Avi: “Chilli…I will feel guilty even if we do come up with a plan. Chuck the concert da. It will be too hectic anyway. You can…”
Me: “Shut up! Let me think”
(only me thinking)
Me: “Crap. It is so easy. The concert begins at 6:30 or so. It should end by 10:30 or so. Let us go by car to Madras. Then, as soon as the concert ends, drive back to Bangalore. We should be back here by 7 AM, even after taking into account night driving. The moronic crap is only at 9:30 or so. So that gives me enough time to get ready.”
Avi, GD, Hebbar (in unison): “YOU HAVE LOST IT. ARE YOU MAD???”
Me: “Nope. This will work.”
After another argument with mom, dad I get their approval albeit reluctantly. The only victory from their side was that they would send the driver along. That was fine. Big battles are won with few injuries. :)
Feb 21st 2003:
Concert begins at 7:30 PM. I scream my lungs out, despite repeated requests/orders from Avi & GD to keep my voice down and preserve it for the interview. All that I could think then was, “What interview!”.
The God’s show ends at 12:30. Only a slight delay of 2 hours. I have a lot of faith in our driver. He takes us back to Bangalore by 7:30. And then I am all set to go for the interview.
Oh crap, I had forgotten to fill the form with those stupid essays. I complete that in half an hour. And I am all set to go when I am hit with my next hurdle – a big one at that. I seem to have lost my voice! I am able to speak at the teeniest of decibels. I prepare hard to get my voice back in the drive to the interview venue. Of course, no luck. :)
The GD happens with me “screaming” my lungs out. Well, the effort was equivalent to that of screaming, but in reality I was barely above a whisper. So that is the obvious question in the interview. So I tell them the reason. The absolute truth. “Yup the concert was more important. What exactly is your point?” :)))
Of course, I didn’t get in to IIMA. If I had, I would have had more doubts on the selection process than I actually do now. But big deal.
And that high is the price I was ready to pay for the concert. :D
(All comments on focus, career, life, etc and how I disregarded them are most welcome. I have heard them a million times from others. But it is always fun to read some more. Hehehe!)
[Note: There is not the slightest bit of exaggeration in any of the events.]
Jan 2003:
After hearing news about an A R Rahman concert in Madras, I spend the entire day jumping around in joy...that is before I call up my aunt in Madras to book the ticket. Turns out that even Avi & GD want to attend the concert. So I call her up and change it to 3 tickets. The next day I have the tickets in my possession, and life is great. The concert is scheduled to happen on Feb 21st, 6:30 PM. It is a Friday, but that isn’t too much of a problem – I easily get my leave application approved.
Feb 2003:
The D-Day nears, and the excitement is so damn palpable. It is the first week of Feb, and I am working with some code, when I get a phone call from my mother. This is how the conversation went:
Mom: “Sridhar, you’ve got the date for your IIM Ahmedabad interview”
Me: “Oh ok. When is it?”
Mom: “Feb 22nd. IIM B campus”
Me: “22nd…hmm…ok.”
Mom: “So, shall I ask Radha (my aunt) to sell the tickets?”
Me (to myself): “@#$%$#%#$%$#%”
Me (to Mom): “Huh??? WHY?!!!”
Mom: “Concert is on 21st night. Madras. Interview on 22nd morning. Bangalore.”
Me: “So?”
Mom: “So…is it ok if I ask her to sell your ticket alone? I guess Avinash & GD would still be going.”
Me: “Oh god! Why are you complicating matters! Ok fine…don’t get tense. Let me check the IIMA website whether they have a provision to change dates.”
(I go to www.nba.com, look at the latest scores)
Me: “Ma. The site has nothing on changing dates. It is ok, the B & C dates are sometime in March, I will attend those. Chuck this…fine?”
(silence at the other end)
(more silence)
Me: “Ma?”
Mom: “You have no seriousness in life. You do not know your priorities. You talk to your dad. I am fed up with you.” (bangs the phone down hard)
Fifteen minutes later, dad is on the phone.
Dad: “Sridhar?”
Me: “Ah..appa. Why is mother acting like this? It is just one institute’s interview. There are 5 more anyway. I hope you told her to relax a bit.”
(silence at the other end)
Me: “Appa???”
Dad: “Dei. I can’t let you do this. You are attending the interview. I do not give a damn about the concert!”
Me: “But appa, I don’t give a damn about the interview. Not one bit. I will go for the concert. I don’t see how you can actually stop me…”
Dad: “No da, this is not right. This is not the right behaviour.”
Me: “Hmm…ok fine fine. Give me time till tonight, I shall try coming up with some idea. Ok?”
Dad: “………..Ok. But interview…IS…MUST!”
An hour later with GD, Avi & Hebbar at the cafeteria over coffee.
Avi: “Chilli, what is wrong with you da?”
Hebbar: “Seriously!”
GD: “You must attend the interview dude…”
Me: “People! What is wrong with the whole damn world? I am attending the concert. Now come up with some idea that will rope in the stupid interview as well…”
(people thinking)
Avi: “Chilli…I will feel guilty even if we do come up with a plan. Chuck the concert da. It will be too hectic anyway. You can…”
Me: “Shut up! Let me think”
(only me thinking)
Me: “Crap. It is so easy. The concert begins at 6:30 or so. It should end by 10:30 or so. Let us go by car to Madras. Then, as soon as the concert ends, drive back to Bangalore. We should be back here by 7 AM, even after taking into account night driving. The moronic crap is only at 9:30 or so. So that gives me enough time to get ready.”
Avi, GD, Hebbar (in unison): “YOU HAVE LOST IT. ARE YOU MAD???”
Me: “Nope. This will work.”
After another argument with mom, dad I get their approval albeit reluctantly. The only victory from their side was that they would send the driver along. That was fine. Big battles are won with few injuries. :)
Feb 21st 2003:
Concert begins at 7:30 PM. I scream my lungs out, despite repeated requests/orders from Avi & GD to keep my voice down and preserve it for the interview. All that I could think then was, “What interview!”.
The God’s show ends at 12:30. Only a slight delay of 2 hours. I have a lot of faith in our driver. He takes us back to Bangalore by 7:30. And then I am all set to go for the interview.
Oh crap, I had forgotten to fill the form with those stupid essays. I complete that in half an hour. And I am all set to go when I am hit with my next hurdle – a big one at that. I seem to have lost my voice! I am able to speak at the teeniest of decibels. I prepare hard to get my voice back in the drive to the interview venue. Of course, no luck. :)
The GD happens with me “screaming” my lungs out. Well, the effort was equivalent to that of screaming, but in reality I was barely above a whisper. So that is the obvious question in the interview. So I tell them the reason. The absolute truth. “Yup the concert was more important. What exactly is your point?” :)))
Of course, I didn’t get in to IIMA. If I had, I would have had more doubts on the selection process than I actually do now. But big deal.
And that high is the price I was ready to pay for the concert. :D
(All comments on focus, career, life, etc and how I disregarded them are most welcome. I have heard them a million times from others. But it is always fun to read some more. Hehehe!)
13 Comments:
thats a very interesting narration ... came here thru' Kaps blog.
Cannot believe someone would consider ARR's concert sooooo seriously. Nevertheless, he rocks! Although I would never have done what you did. I am simply crazy about ARR numbers. From Ah..Aah to Roja
While I admire your fanaticism, I dont quite agree with the linkage you've drawn between your experience and Kaps' post.
As is obvious from your post, the value you attached to the IIMA interview was very little, and hence the price you paid wasnt too high. So what is your point? :))
Gayathri:
Well, yes he does rock! But yes, the fact that I made it to that concert counts as my lone "great achievement". So, anything for greatness. :)
eV:
As the previous comment proves, what I feel is a high/low price could be considered low/high by others or just pure crazy.
But my parents feel that I paid a "high" price. And that would make the point of price being relative. And you know that, I guess. :)
Oh btw, a "linkage" is also very stretchable, something you should know after attending N's class. Or for that matter POPS. :P
Who is this N? If u don't want to reveal in public u can always shoot me an email. I did take POPS and it turned out to be one of the best "fraud" courses ever. I think it was the first year BS introduced it.
I am also crazy about music, ARR and other stuff....but over a period of time the craze has got toned down.
I have never attended a ARR concert in my life....hv attended others by IR, Deva, Vidyasagar, Bharadwaj etc etc.
My only concern is that even if I shell out lot of money, I may not be able to get a good view of the ARR concert.
They might state reasons like demand / supply etc but I feel that they are fleecing the fans. Chandramukhi was priced @ $15 which was double the price of other Tam movies. I heard that even Baba was priced so. Even though Anniyan was shot at a higher price, the movie released at the regular price $10.
Do u regret not giving ur best shot for the IIMA GD & PI? Do u feel that the trade off was worth it?
I didn't have too many choices....B was the best I could get :-)
aah! You had to stoop to V-level logic, eh?
I wasnt disputing about the price being relative. All I'm saying is that the price you paid was low.
Kaps:
Hehe...N was a professor of Operation Management. The linkages he drew were one of the slimmest you will come across. In fact I attended BS' ISD course as well, and that had its equal share of remote linkages. But I think N still holds the winning trophy. And for me, POPS was the only great course. I dont call it fraud. :)
Actually I agree with your price post. But that post got me off in this tangent, and I was wondering what was the price I paid. Avlodhaan.
Aaha...your last question is a very tricky one. The answer to that, in itself, would take up reams of pages. Let me just say this, "I regret giving my best shot for the others." :)
eV:
Again da, the price I paid, for me, it was low. But to others it could seem high. Right? Please don't use the Vishy-itis clause for everything. :P
BS is one person whom I can't forget. He use to mispronounce some of the names. He used to cold call me quite a few times. In our case the POPS class was small and hence we couldn't sleep during his classes.
I don't remember this N....maybe u can drop me a mail @ sambhar[dot]mafia[at]gmail[dot]com
well, that chillism does not surprise me one bit mr. raman. u live life the way you want to..and get what u want to too.
keep it up!
BV:
Hehe...thank you! :)
Bloody damn. Guys, u r taking this V-itis a bit too far ... Now in public? Not fair. U have almost made it a proper expletive now?
Well Vishy, I left it at "V-level", didnt I?
>U have almost made it a proper expletive now?
Almost?
:D
Vishy, I wouldn't call it an expletive. Just a nice insult. How does that sound? Feel better?
:)
HI Sridhar,
I never knew u were this crazy about the God... I thought I was the only Rahmaniac on campus last year :-)
Great adventure u've had!!!
Post a Comment
<< Home