Customer is king! Perhaps

The colder climes have their winters of discontent, but why must we have these summers of discomfort?” asked the little woman.

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“You don’t have to be so mordacious, just because the air-conditioner is being temperamental,” I replied.

“Stop using big words and get the damn AC fixed,” scowled the love of my life.

So off I trudged to the neighbourhood store, from where I had bought the air-conditioner. The heat was as good as predicted in the yellow alert of the met department.

“So, you mean to say that your AC is not working?” asked the helpful salesman, who just the other day had extolled the virtues of the lemon that he had sold to me.

“Yes,” I said, because that seemed to be the most logical response.

“You mean to say it has stopped working?”

“Yes,” I said again. Succinctly.

“You mean....”

“My good man,” said I, interrupting him, “The air-conditioner has stopped working. It has gone kaput. It has conked out. It's defective, faulty, broken, inoperative, damaged, knackered out and ruined. Also busted. Gone kaput, or whichever term you fancy. Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, sir. You have,” he said. “Ummm.... Did you try switching the AC off and then on again?”

Instinctively, I knew I was dealing with a specimen of the laptop generation—the generation whose most advanced technological skills extend all the way to shutting down the Windows programme and restarting the computer.

With great patience I said, “I have. I have also checked the MCB and put fresh cells in the remote control.”