My bicycle's rear tyre tube burst leaving me with no other option than replacing the tyre-tube. The problem started with finding a replacement tyre-tube for the bike, being a fashionable mountain sports bike not everybody stores the spares. Finally when I managed to get the tube I took my bike to the usual cycle repair stores.
I have to replace my tyre-tube.
A middle-aged young man (sitting idle, sipping a cup of tea) replied yeah I will do that.
I patiently wait for his tea to get over, finally after another 5 minutes, I ask again are you going to replace or not.
Yes, what's the hurry? (he gets up, looks at the bike, shakes head... I get little restless)
How much are you going to charge for replacing tyre-tube?
(Pretending that he hasn't heard, still keeps looking at the bike) How much you purchased this bike for?
Do you want to change tyre-tube or not? I am not going to tell you how much I bought this bike for.
It has gears, it has shock-absorbers at both tyre's, its light weight. That will be Rs45.
What? Rs45 for changing tyre-tubes. New tyre-tube costs less than that.
Yes that will be Rs45, this is no normal cycle. Plus additional Rs2 for filling air, and that you will have to fill on your own.
(Irritated by the behavior, but I had no other option) how much time?
Come after may be two hours.
What 2 hours for changing tyre-tubes? The cycle repair man was simply sitting there, not even remotely busy, sipping tea and reading a news paper, not even ready to look at cycle. Why do I have to pay him if he does not want to fill air into my tyre-tube? and how does he expect that I fill air on my own and he gets the money?
Loosing patience, I picked up my bike and started walking back home. He did not even try to stop me knowing fully that I have no other option as his is the only cycle repair shop in near vicinity.
So much for the little service and what arrogance?
P.S: After coming home I decided to try changing tyre-tube myself thinking that in the worst case I would have to go back to that cycle store if it doesn't work. To my amazement changing tyre-tube turned out quite easy, with little help from Google.
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