Taking my scooter to get serviced

H(I was going to say "Sasha" instead of "my scooter" in the title but I realized that might sound rather inappropriate!)

Bajaj offers a few free servicing coupons when you buy a vehicle. Since I delayed the first servicing of my scooter, I decided to wait a bit longer for the second servicing as well. I was going to do this before my trip to Hyderabad but since work got hectic, I had to wait till now. I was worried that I'd delayed it too much since I thought the second servicing was due at 1300 kms, but turned out it was due at 2000 kms, and incidentally I hit 2000 as I was leaving work.

Anyway, I went to the dealer I bought the scooter from, but as I was parking my scooter in the parking lot, I was told by the security guy that they were closed. I asked, "You mean closed for the day?" "No" he said, "closed for good." Well that sucked. The big reason I went for a Bajaj scooter was because the dealership was close by and I figured I could bug them for any repairs atleast during the first year, which is how long I intend to keep it anyway. But they apparently relocated about 6 kms away from my apt, and in the process negated one of the biggest reasons I had for picking this scooter. This threw me into a funk since it meant that my rationale in picking my scooter was wrong, and so I began to question if I should have gone with this one in the first place. (So sorry Sasha!)

Anyway, I asked the security guy where the closest Bajaj dealership would be, and among those that he suggested, I picked the one that I assumed would be close to my apt. But I couldn't find it as I kept driving in the direction he pointed. Eventually I decided that even if it was far, I'd go with the Bajaj dealership where I purchased my helmet. This one is about 3-4 kms from my apt and on a really dusty and frankly scary highway.

The guy recognized me since when he sold me he helmet, he tried to give me the helmet lock for free, but I'd taken the 10% off, and then later came to buy the helmet lock anyway! I think he was surprised I came so far for a Bajaj service centre, and I explained that I couldn't find the other one that was supposed to be closer to my apt.

He said he can have it back for me in two days and I said that was fine. Suddenly I realized that that would mean I would be getting it back on Christmas day. I asked him if they were open on that day, he said they were. It was weird even discussing the possibility that something would be open on Christmas day!

As I was filling out the form he asked me what my license plate number was. I started telling him, " One Seven Five Four, Ee Zee ..." He stared at me like I was crazy. "Gee?" he asked me. Now I stared at him, "No Zee." And then it hit me. "Oh I'm sorry, I mean to say Zed". He understood and I continued. I miss saying "Zed".

"Who's Zed?"
"Zed's dead baby. Zed's dead."

(Post script: As it turned out, I got my scooter a whole day early and it's in a noticeably better shape.)