Camera Shopping

Well I got it. A brand new and very flash Nikon D70. I am ready to conquer the world and make a fortune by selling my photos....some day.

But first I need to get over a small problem. It was a challenge in the worst way...a la Filipino style. It is quite a story.

Mom and I decided to check out the Shangra-la mall. It is the big high-end version of the three largest malls in the Philippines on the 200 m radius perimeter from my Condo. I figured that the high-end status should create likelihood that the camera may be found within. After searching 6 levels we indeed found one...but the store was closed. So we toured some more to see if there were other stores selling the cam. Then went back. Dicker dicker and we have a deal. So I give my Visa card and then the fun started.

Seems that they had to call and confirm it was good. No problem, I say go ahead. Then it was a problem. Because it is such a large purchase price, we (read: I) needed to contact my bank to 'approve' the release of such a large amount. So off I went to call. Found some phones and proceeded to try to call my bank (in Canada, all 12 hrs difference in time and all) to advise them. No instructions on the phone left me 40 min wasted as I tried to place a collect call (as per the back of the Visa card) to no avail. So Mom and I decided that was enough and we went to lunch. But that was not all...

So rather than just leave the camera behind, I decided to try calling again. Again, I was unable to place the call successfully. Forget the collect call, it was time to pull out all the stops. To do that I needed to place a direct call. I went in search of a phone card and found one back in the food court after a lengthy search. Up I went to the phones again. A 50 peso phone card, just to be sure, lasts only 2 min when calling Canada. The introductory phone-tree ya get with Scotiabank takes longer than two min... In a fit of frustration, as the phone disconnected before I could process ANY information I banged the phone receiver on the phone. It broke.

Pissed now, back to the store I go. Give em the old song and dance. THEY try to call Canada! Or they have their Visa reps call Canada. Tick tock - no luck. We get the universal 15 min, come back. Several times. Finally we give up. But not before it was too late.

Seems the phone police are out and about. And in short order I get escorted to the basement by the security guards to prepare a 'statement' and a 'promissory note' to shoulder the damages. The guard, Edgar, offers me an out by suggesting we could settle this. I suggest that this is a great idea, but I kill this offer by asking how we go about doing it. Ooof. What an idiot I am. Well maybe the PLDT (phone company) will come looking for me, but not likely.

Finally, since we were walking by on the way back to the condo, Mom suggests that we go back to the small shop in the Mega-Mall (the only other mall with the item) to see if they have had a change of heart. The Camera is in a bag waiting us. The deal is confirmed, and my visa duly stamped and scored. Signed and out in 2 min. No phone calls required!

Stink. shoulda gone there first. Saved 4 hours and a trip to detention.

Post script:
About a week later I received a letter, unstamped and unfranked. It was from the Shangra-la security office, and signed by a Colonel! It said pay up and pay up 500 pesos. There was attached my promisory note (drafted under duress) but no other attachments (for example my itimization of the course of events and my detailed description of the actual damage), reports, rationales or invoices from the phone company. Or any deadlines for payment or even, I dare to note, no person named or address provided for making such restitution. I duly dismissed the letter.

A week later I was comfortably ensconced on the couch munching away on my lunch when the doorbell rings. It is the building security staff with a message. It seems that there is a man looking for me (our intercom system is non-functional - what else is new). I haven't made the linkage yet....

Down I go and voila, there are two police bikes parked in front of the building in a conspicuous manner all bedecked in saddlebags and flashing lights. There he was the collection agent. He actually had a receipt book handy (is that the new way to exhort money out of whities, with the look of legitimacy?) and a copy of my promisory note.

So we had a gentle discussion about what 'reasonable expenses' should be as I had clearly mentioned in my promisory note. And I reminded my agent that as clearly articulated by my Edgar, all subsequent dealings, and any restitution would be through and by the phone company. However, I acquiesed that if what I had in my pocket was sufficient...well then we could all be happy with the results. Otherwise I would be happy to pay according to an invoice from the phone company (should they have one) if I did not deal directly with the phone company at all.

Another week has gone by. I wonder when the other shoe will fall?

PSS
Tuesday Dec 7 they came back....
With only the bill and none of the supporting documentation as agreed. I put my request in writing this time and gave Sir Roy a pat on the bum as I sent him back to his nifty motorcycle.

The risk is that they may try to have me deported....I will pay of course, but not before it costs them an amount equivalent to 500 pesos. It is a small recompence.