zenn bites...

*huff huff puff puff*

i think i've got heatstroke.

2 hours out hunting for a present for an overseas guest had my colleague and i walking from amoy street to raffles place, searching through all those shops at raffles exchange and caltex house, walking to fullerton to find that they only have a carpet shop, taking a cab to a disappointing millenia walk, looking through half of suntec and traisping to citylink mall before we found one decent-looking shawl at furla.

that thin strip of cloth's 10% cashmere, 60+% wool and godknowswhatelse cost us a hefty $307, with a 30% discount that lowered it to $214.90. and when i tried to pay with the $1000 note my boss had given us, the ching chong salesgirl said that she didn't have enough for change.

but that's alright...compared to the way she packaged the shawl. according to her, furla doesn't do gift-wrapping, but she kindly wrapped the shawl up in tissue for us, and after refolding it thrice, she managed to squeeze it into the cheapo cardboard thing they call a gift box.

she proceeded to place the cheapo box in a cheapo carrier, sealed the top with two cheapo sticky tapes, and *HORROR OF HORRORS* took out a box of ugly little furla ribbons that're tied up into ugly little furla bows. then she took a piece of double-sided tape that was about as large as the bow, fixed it on the cheapo carrier, and stuck one ugly little bow on it.

the end result?
we asked for a length of ribbon (non-bowed) so that we can dress up the box ourselves, but she said "sorry, i cannot. it's company policy we can only use the ribbon to make bows".

wtf. NEWSFLASH: my colleague just called the furla main office to ask about this "policy" and the lady said there's no such policy and as long as the store's not short of ribbons, there's no reason why we shouldn't get abit. well there was a whole spool of it in the store...so......

i am not impressed. what was it that the prime minister said about service again? =/

but anyway, that aside, all the walking and the sun almost killed me. it's so hot today that even the water coming out of the tap is warm. and i'm drowsy, bored, and very hungry.

it's no fun being in office when it's suppose to be your day off and you're suppose to be out wakeboarding and vegetating at home.

hrmph.