The QUEUE tales

These 2 seperate incidents happened at booking counters of 2 different multiplexes.

Incident 1

This happened a few weeks back - 14th Feb to be exact. I booked tickets for Jodha Akbar online @ Pvr cinemas, Mulund. The show was to start at 10.45 pm.

I reach the mall at 10.30 pm and walk up to the ticket counter.

There are 2 counters for internet booking and other booking methods. One counter was closed and as expected there was quite a queue at the internet booking counter. I got into line and a guy joined in behind me.

He was the desperado types and wanted everything quick. He spies a staff member walk into the ticketing area and come to a stand still near the shut window. So smartly he moves out of the queue and triumphantly is the 1st person to rech the closed counter. He pushes aside the board that says counter closed and asks for his tickets. The staff tell him that the counter is closed and he should join the line that he was in earlier. His ego is shattered and he now smartly comes and again stands behind me. A small argument ensues with the guy behind him but then the guy is a gentle man and allows him to stand in front of him and take the place he had vacated.

Soon it is my turn and I am scrolling to the sms (confirmation one) on my mobile to show to the ticketing staff so that I can collect my tickets - this smart guy behind me slides up to my left and thrusts his hand into the window and asks for his tickets.

I loose it and ask him what is he doing ?

The conversation goes -

Me - Kya hai boss ?

He - Ticket le raha hoon

Me - main kya bhajan kar raha hoon

He - maine phone pe book kiya hai

Me- toh bada kaam kiya ?

He - Lene de

Me - chup chaap line mein khada hoja

At this moment the staff intervine and ask him to wait.

He - chal theek hai , lele

Me - Ehsaan kar raha hai kya mere pe ?


And till the time I moved out after collecting my tickets, this guy was muttering under his breath.

Incident 2

This is at R-mall in Mulund again and at a ticket counter again.

I don't remember which movie but there was quite a queue with 2 guys (X and Y) behind me. As soon as my turn came , I asked for the tickets and put my right hand in my back pocket to remove the cash and I hit someone to my right. I turn and see the guy X who was behind me in queue is on my right almost pushing me away from the counter.

And suddenly I feel a slight push from my left - I turn to see that the guy Y who was behind the guy X is on my left. I am practically sandwiched between these 2 guys and both are raring to have a go at the counter. I politely ask them if they had heard of something called a queue, in better layman language - line system ?

Both asnwer me the same - Line mein toh hai na - aap ke baad hi ticket lenge.

I ask them to get in behind me and not crowd around which obviously they do not understand.

And both these incidents happened with people who were educated (or atleast looked educated).

Why are we always in such a hurry ? Push and Shove will get you everything - that's what people believe here.


2 more things that I frequently encounter at queues in cinema halls

1) People reach the counter and then start a conversation with their relatives/friends waiting outside the queue. Which seats ? What time show? how many tickets? Advance booking?

I mean come on man - you can decide these things and get into the queue saving a lot of time for yourself and others too. Ladies are the biggest culprits doing this from what I have observed !

2) Sometimes I see a long queue and get in behind them. But when the guy 5 people ahead of me buys the tickets and moves out, all the 5 behind him also move out. They were togather and got into the queue togather to buy tickets. What did they prove ? "yeh dosti ham nahi todenge" ??