The Apartment ADVENTURE...
So, my entire office makes fun of me because they think I'm the WORST person at bargaining... I am... and I hate it. I really would just like to agree on a price that seems mutually satisfying instead of all of this endless bargaining which seems to result in no one being happy.
I went for a drink with this girl named Meredith tonight after work. Meredith is the college roommate of a friend from Channel One -- we met at the Oberoi (a nice Indian hotel chain). Ok... I'm really getting off-track but I need to mention two things before I get to my original point: 1) Meredith was great 2) We were going to try a "cool" different bar here -- we got a list of them and ended up deciding on the hotel/lobby bar... not exactly the "cool/different" bar I was looking for (this seems very "Delhi") -- there seems to be a lack of "hole-in-the-wall" cool spots.
So, coming back to my hotel, I decided to get into an autorickshaw which is much cheaper and more fun. You know the autorickshaw, right -- the three-wheeled little cubby on tiny wheels that battle for space (and often win) on the road. Last night I was BlackBerrying in the rickshaw... which seemed quite funny. So... getting into the autorickshaw we agreed on ONE price.. and the guy said... oh, you're going to the Imperial HOTEL -- not the Imperial CINEMA... that is VERY far (it's not). We argued for almost the ENTIRE ride about the price.... back and forth -- arguing, yelling, bargaining. Then we finally stopped and he said, "So, sir, how do you like India?".
I have to give a quick update on my apartment. Yes, I thought the QUEST was over... it seems to still be continuing. I agreed on the price and gave him some money... he told me that he came down to the same price they were getting from the previous tenants and that he couldn't go any lower. I said to my cameraman, Sanjiv, "Well, it is very sweet of him to go so low -- it's exactly what he was getting for the last tenant." Sanjiv (who it turns out is an old friend of the landlord -- and helped "strike the deal" - which made me feel even better) said, "Seth, he's lying to you." Sure enough, when I got the "blacked out" contract from the previous tenant -- yup, the price I'm paying is 30% higher!
Anyway, I could carry on for ages here... the long and short of it is that he's giving me this sob story about how the family can't possibly make it for more than 11 months making this rent --[my contract with them is 11 months (and totals over 10 PAGES)] so after 11 months, if i want to stay there will be a 10% increase! Anyway, my whole office has me arguing over this price... and now it looks like I may have put my whole living situation in jeopardy because of my fine "bargaining" skills.
Sanjiv thinks it's very funny to send me text messages through most evenings totaling up all the costs associated with getting a new place. I'll be at dinner and my phone will ring with a text, "New aircons are 16,200 rupees". Then later I'll get another, "You'll need a stabilizer because the electricity is so bad -- 2,200 rupees". I'll be getting ready for bed - text message will register - "Your maid won't wash the floors or do the toilets - that's a different maid, 1,500 rupees." I feel like I'm living life in a giant (poorly driven) taxi... with the meter just going up and up.
Either I will be the most relaxed, worldly person at the end of this experience... or I'll be the most haggard, bitter, jaded person -- I'm really not quite sure which at the moment.
Ok.. Off to bed.
So, my entire office makes fun of me because they think I'm the WORST person at bargaining... I am... and I hate it. I really would just like to agree on a price that seems mutually satisfying instead of all of this endless bargaining which seems to result in no one being happy.
I went for a drink with this girl named Meredith tonight after work. Meredith is the college roommate of a friend from Channel One -- we met at the Oberoi (a nice Indian hotel chain). Ok... I'm really getting off-track but I need to mention two things before I get to my original point: 1) Meredith was great 2) We were going to try a "cool" different bar here -- we got a list of them and ended up deciding on the hotel/lobby bar... not exactly the "cool/different" bar I was looking for (this seems very "Delhi") -- there seems to be a lack of "hole-in-the-wall" cool spots.
So, coming back to my hotel, I decided to get into an autorickshaw which is much cheaper and more fun. You know the autorickshaw, right -- the three-wheeled little cubby on tiny wheels that battle for space (and often win) on the road. Last night I was BlackBerrying in the rickshaw... which seemed quite funny. So... getting into the autorickshaw we agreed on ONE price.. and the guy said... oh, you're going to the Imperial HOTEL -- not the Imperial CINEMA... that is VERY far (it's not). We argued for almost the ENTIRE ride about the price.... back and forth -- arguing, yelling, bargaining. Then we finally stopped and he said, "So, sir, how do you like India?".
I have to give a quick update on my apartment. Yes, I thought the QUEST was over... it seems to still be continuing. I agreed on the price and gave him some money... he told me that he came down to the same price they were getting from the previous tenants and that he couldn't go any lower. I said to my cameraman, Sanjiv, "Well, it is very sweet of him to go so low -- it's exactly what he was getting for the last tenant." Sanjiv (who it turns out is an old friend of the landlord -- and helped "strike the deal" - which made me feel even better) said, "Seth, he's lying to you." Sure enough, when I got the "blacked out" contract from the previous tenant -- yup, the price I'm paying is 30% higher!
Anyway, I could carry on for ages here... the long and short of it is that he's giving me this sob story about how the family can't possibly make it for more than 11 months making this rent --[my contract with them is 11 months (and totals over 10 PAGES)] so after 11 months, if i want to stay there will be a 10% increase! Anyway, my whole office has me arguing over this price... and now it looks like I may have put my whole living situation in jeopardy because of my fine "bargaining" skills.
Sanjiv thinks it's very funny to send me text messages through most evenings totaling up all the costs associated with getting a new place. I'll be at dinner and my phone will ring with a text, "New aircons are 16,200 rupees". Then later I'll get another, "You'll need a stabilizer because the electricity is so bad -- 2,200 rupees". I'll be getting ready for bed - text message will register - "Your maid won't wash the floors or do the toilets - that's a different maid, 1,500 rupees." I feel like I'm living life in a giant (poorly driven) taxi... with the meter just going up and up.
Either I will be the most relaxed, worldly person at the end of this experience... or I'll be the most haggard, bitter, jaded person -- I'm really not quite sure which at the moment.
Ok.. Off to bed.
posted by Seth Doane at 6/29/2006 11:42:00 PM
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