The useless receipt

The hotel where I stayed in Washington is so bad! No matter when you go, the hotel is always under construction and the rooms are so undivine. The people are also very undivine.

When I checked into the hotel, I paid the bill and got a receipt. Normally I do not keep receipts, but this time I did.

When I was ready to check out, they said to me, “You have not paid for your room.”

I said, “I gave you three twenty dollar bills and you gave me four dollars change. I have the receipt.”

They said, “This receipt is no good. It wasn’t stamped.”

I said, “But how could I get the receipt if I didn’t pay?”

For ten minutes this went on. The girl who had originally taken the money from me was not there. Finally, the assistant manager came and said, “There is no indication on the receipt that you have paid.”

Meanwhile, Lord Chidananda was on the street waiting for me with the car.

Then out of the blue a young girl behind the counter said, “I think he did pay.” She had been there at the time and she remembered me.

— 19 July 1987