IT WAS PAST 1 P.M. and I was still waiting in the raucous horde of SM City Clark, being crammed with the people who complain about that precinct -- its sales boys, sales girls and all its services -- yet fervently wait and buy their necessities for the yuletide season. Some say the goods are too pricey; yet they still align in the elongated contour of people paying through cash, or credit cards (the latter is the most disturbing because it takes times). Some say the employees at the gift-wrapping center are shabby; yet they still line up to have their gifts wrapped. Some say the goods are second-rate and are made in China; yet they still ask their husband or boyfriend (or whatever they call them) to clutch it and join the array in the cashier to save time. Some say this and that, and so and so….
Mitch and April -- my co-editors in The Pioneer -- arrived almost simultaneously (1:30 p.m. perhaps); though Mitch came few seconds earlier. Seeing Mitch first, I saw her following the party’s motif – she was wearing a green blouse topped on her blue denim. Conversely, April was in her purple top. I was in blue, tight-fitting shirt, which I was supposed to change to green by purchasing sale-items at SM Department Store with the Molecule Tag.
When I checked the sale-items, however, Molecule was no longer on-sale. I already searched every hangers in the Molecule counter (which I have done while waiting for the two); yet everything was sold in the normal price, which, as I presume, are not worth it if compared to clothes being merchandised at the I Love You Boutique at Nepo.
Now, my plan to transform has been ruined!
Mitch was searching for the gift she would give to Edwin. (Edwin is the EIC in The Pioneer whom Mitch had singled out as her monito, the person she would give a Christmas gift). She thought of two probable gifts -- either a necktie or an undergarment. She asked my opinion and I told her that if I would be given a gift, I would actually appreciate an undergarment more, especially if the undergarment is a T-back brief, which is very daring. Mitch bluffly said that Edwin thinks contradictory to the way I do; so she must purchase a necktie. However, she thought that “a necktie is nice, but a brief is more interesting”!
We were deciding on the kind of brief to buy for Edwin, but she just preferred the more “wholesome ones”. (They asked me and I said it should be a T-back. Seeing the expression on their faces while imagining Edwin wearing a T-back, I just don’t know if the most expensive camera could still register their images.) Finally – after going to and fro from stalls to stores -- Mitch decided for the yellow low-rise brief at Bench.
Now, it’s April’s turn. She didn’t thought of any gift anymore because his monito was just asking for chocolates; so we went to the SM Hypermarket.
In the Hypermarket, the baggage counter was loaded, so I tried talking to the female security guard to let me pass. Still, she asked me to deposit my body bag at the other baggage counter, which was almost a kilometer away from the entrance. Well, I tried going there but the contour of people depositing their baggage was vast.
It simply annoyed me!
I just waited for April and Mitch outside so I ordered a pizza at Lots’a Pizza, which took so long before they were able to prepare the pizza that April and Mitch had already went out of the Hypermarket. So I told the girl in the pizza counter that I’ll just return to fetch my pizza.
Now, it’s our turn to look for gifts for Ma-am Reyes, Ma’am Gwen, and Ma’am So – the three members of the AUF admin who we encounter often (whatever their positions maybe, I don’t want to converse about it.)
The extensive and profound thinking ended with a pillow each for Ma’am Gwen and Ma’am Reyes. Meanwhile, a figurine for Ma’am So will suffice. When we purchased them, the pathetic sales lady punched the pillow and the figurine; but didn’t know how much the other pillow would cost because of the missing price tag. She asked me to wait for a long time and then suggested that I should purchase the first two items that had already been punched so as for them to entertain the subsequent customers. I concurred.
April, aligned after me, laid her items on the counter and then they punched them. I was vexed that my receipt would be lost so I took the first receipt I saw laid before me without reading it. The cashier was still waiting for the price of the other pillow. Abruptly, the guy, positioned beside the cashier who packages the purchased goods, didn’t pack April’s pajamas (April bought pajamas for someone I don’t know). So, they were asking for her receipt. April said she already paid for it but she wasn’t able to show any receipt. The cashier and everyone around were in doubt, except me and April (and Mitch perhaps) because we really knew that April paid for it.
Until I tried checking the receipt I hid in my wallet; it was the one they were demanding for. Eyes were blaming me but before everyone else was able to say something, I spoke saying it’s not my fault; it’s the receipt’s.... It was solved in astonishing stillness.
However, it was annoying! So, instead of waiting for the price verification of the second pillow, we left and said to the cashier, “Balikan na lang po namin, nairita kami bigla!”
Afterwards, we went to the gift-wrapping center. April and Mitch left me in the “gift-wrapping procession” because they’ve had to look for something. I concurred and asked them just to get my pizza. (Mitch had to purchase a shirt to remedy her sweating *****. Beforehand, I suggested they should go to the CR to dry her shirt through the hand-dryer instead.)
Meanwhile, one of the guys in the gift-wrapping counter was familiar, I thought. He was insipidly fair, his eyes are chinkey, and his nose was perfectly pointed like a Filipino Adonis. However, his presence is low. Until I’ve realized that he resembles the features of Mike Tiotuico (a former co-editor in The Pioneer who was so kind and my EIC in the CAS Ideas, our college publication way back two years ago).
However, the guy in the gift-wrapping counter was very disappointing! He first entertained the pearl powder-faced, elderly lady aligned after me. Waiting in the long line for an extended time would really enrage me after seeing that scenario. (Moreover, a customer before us was already annoying since she was insisting that her goods should be wrapped despite that she didn’t buy them at the SM Department Store because she already waited in the line.)
My eyes enlarged; the scene simply annoyed me!
That’s unfair, I thought!
But I didn’t speak. Perhaps, that guy doesn’t think, I thought. Or perhaps, he’s just hungry because he had not taken his afternoon break yet.
So, I sent a message to April and Mitch and asked them to come over quickly. When they returned, April substituted me in the line. Then, Mitch didn’t buy her shirt anymore; she just bought a panacea for her quandary.
I helped her go to the CR. Helping her lessened my annoyance because there was a shift in aura. I also thought that I will eat my pizza and I’m lucky because the guy in the counter was hungry… Well, I won’t give him pizza!
When we returned, everything was done. “Patience is a virtue,” said April.
Mitch said, “Chill.”
Define those, I thought.
Afterwards, we came at the party at 6 p.m. – 3 hours late.
Some of my plans failed; but I suppose it was just fine. The party was over at past 8. Mitch left earlier while the party was on-going. I got home at about 10 after helping April in her dorm. We rode the PUV together to San Fernando.
The annoyances? Still there but I’m in a state of “recuperation”....
Perhaps, I need a Christmas vacation.
No comments:
Post a Comment