I ran out of time to spruce-up the old house in Libis, Binangonan, Rizal a bit in time for the Holy Week. We go there one day in a year, actually from 2 pm to 11 pm only on Good Fridays but still, we need a clean and decent looking toilet. I promised myself that I would change all the fixtures in that toilet. I thought I still have three weeks yun pala less than two weeks na lang till Byernes Santo.
I did many things yesterday in preparation for our Holy Week activities in Binangonan.
I took the small freezer from Ford Cainta and brought it to Binangonan. Para yan sa ice candy that we would give away.
I also went shopping for toilet fixtures in Wilcon Taytay. Since it would only be for a once a year use, I didn’t want to spend too much money for that toilet.
Omb to Wilcon sales staff———– “Alin ba dito yung pinaka-mura?”
WSS——————————— “Mura? Pssst…. (he was calling another sales guy), Pre’ yung pinaka mura daw”.
They both looked at me like Nanay, ‘la ka yatang pera.
To defend my pride and dignity, nagdahilan naman ako.
Omb——————————— “Yung mura lang kasi isang beses lang gagamitin”.
WSS——————————— “Eto, P3,500”.
Omb——————————— “Meron ba kayong package na, yung may lavavo, faucet, p-trap, lahat ng fittings.
WSS——————————— “Package na yan mam, kasama na lahat”.
I looked at the toilet bowl, so liit naman, parang pang toddler, ang lapad pa naman ng wetpu ko.
Omb——————————– “Ang liit pala. Meron bang upgrade? Alin ang mas mahal ng konti dyan?”
WSS——————————– “Eto mam, P4,300. Ay P3,883 na lang pala”.
Omb——————————– “Sige, yan na lang, paki ayos na sa cashier para mabilis ako. Saan ba dito ang pintura?”
WSS——————————– “Hiwalay ang bayad nun mam, iba ang cashier”.
I also bought 5 boxes of 12″x12″ floor and wall tiles for the toilet. I erred in not checking if there were cheaper ones. I went for the color and pattern and didn’t mind the price at all.
I bought one bag of tile adhesive. I will just have the new tiles installed over the old ones, para mas mabilis ang trabaho.
Ang bagal dito, after waiting for sometime, the WSS approached me, “mam, dun na lang”,
Yun na nga ang sabi ko sa kanya kanina, pwede namang sabay ang bayad.
Female staff—— Upo ka muna mam. Meron kang Wilcom Loyalty card?”
Omb————— Wala, libre ba yun? Basta libre lang.
Female staff—— Oo, may points.
There were two cashiers working on my purchases.
Male Cashier—— “1,600 mam ang total”.
Omb————— “Paki sama na yung mga iba ko pang items. Pwede namang isang bayad , isang swipe, isang pirma”
Male Cashier looked at the female cashier—-
Female cashier—– “Oo mam, pwedeng pagsamahin”.
After several minutes
Male Cashier——- “Mam, ang total…..
The female cashier stood up and showed to him the total from her big calculator.
The male cashier read it to me…. “Eleven thousand six hundred…”.
Omb————— “Magkano ba ito?” (referring to the Boysen paints”.
Male cashier—— “one thousand six hundred”.
Omb————— “Magkano yung iba”.
Female cashier—- “Five thousand six hundred, lahat na yun”.
Omb————— “One thousand six hundred plus five thousand six hundred equals seven thousand two hundred, so saan galing yung eleven thousand six hundred?”
Male cashier—— “Dyan mam (pointing at the calculator”.
Dios mio.
Another female staff approached me
Female staff #2—— Mam, bigyan kita ng ra-pel. For every P5,000.
Balikbayan yata ito, slang. Rafol!
Staff—- Mam, tsekin ko muna.
Omb—— Bakit kailangan mong pagsusulatan ng ganyan. Dinumihan mo yung resibo.
Staff—- kailangan kong i-check
Omb—— Kailangan mo lang masigurado na kumpleto yung items, dyan mo lang lagyan ng maliit na mark, hindi yung pinagsusulatan mo. Pag nagphoto copy sa accounting, ang dumi dumi na nyan.
He reminded me of a female checker in Robinson’s Galleria Department Store. I was buying a gift for my sister. I insisted on getting a clean box, maayos na walang sira. The sales lady had to look for the original box in their stockroom. When I was going to pay na, to my astonishment, the checker started scribbling her initials on two sides of the box using ballpen. I was so pissed.
Omb———-“Bakit mo sinalutan?”
She didn’t answer.
Omb———— “Nagpakahirap kaming makakuha ng malinis na box, ireregalo ko yan, tapos pinagsusulatan mo?”
I grabbed my credit card back from the cashier and left.
Back to Wilcon..
Omb——— “Paki check kung may basag”.
Staff——- “Mam, o, wala”.
Omb——— “Teka, bakit parang may oo-oo”.
