I went with Nandan to Lucknow last Friday, two days ago. The first time I came here was during that general class 26 hour return from the Punjab – the train passed through. This time I am happier to be here.
Let me start by saying some things about the lack of etiquette here in India. Not just here in Lucknow, but everywhere, people treat the time of others as cheap and come off to me as an American to being quite rude. Frequently, when going to a shop or trying to get business done which involves the input of some paid worker, the same worker will not cease to do some inane and postponable business before helping the customer. For example, when checking out of the hotel we stayed in yesterday, the manager dusted the area around his desk and the keys to all the rooms before returning our deposit.
This morning at the hotel, someone knocked on the door very loudly at around 6am. We were asleep, of course, but the caller knew we were in the room and continued to knock for more than two minutes, I am sure. Nandan answered the door. It was room service, and they wanted to sell a newspaper to us.
Hotels here are frequently incomprehensibly miserly. We pay Rs 250 for a room, and to supply that room with soap, give free tea, give a newspaper, give towels, or other small cheery things surely would not cost Rs 4. But customer service is just not imagined here. They model things like hotels on the British system, but after the building is constructed and all the facilities are in place the management are people will never stay in a hotel in their lives, other than the one they commit to live in and manage forever.
Nandan had to go to Lucknow to take a test for the Punjab National Bank. He wants to work there. There will be about 250 job openings in this state. Perhaps Nandan would leave Varanasi if he got one; it is supposed to be a good job.
Whoops – I have to go. I can while away in the cyber shop when I am back in Benares.