Saturday, December 24, 2005

Wayta Go Dad!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN:
9 more hours and still counting....

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This morning, dad brought the family to SM Centerpoint for some late Christmas shopping, also to settle my long overdue account with Sun Cellular. My postpaid account has been immobile for over five months now, accumulating a debt of over two thousand pesos. Dad has finally decided to terminate the said relationship with the network by paying the due balance. While communicating with the personnel our intentions, we were told that since today is a holiday the law firm (who was supposed to compute the bill) is closed. When informed of this predicament, my dad immediately fired up and begun discussing with the teller issues which I then had been both naive and mum to be aware of then.

(A reenactment, but not specifically the same words)
Dad: We are paying today. This is the due date and this is the billing price, what is the problem?
Teller: We have to wait for the law firm to compute for the correct price. 30 percent. Since today's a holiday the firm is closed.
Dad: So you are refusing our money? You want us to inconvenience us.. come back on another time to settle this debt while we are already here paying you the amount you stated on the billing statement.
Teller: Sir, we are really sorry but the law firm is closed today, if you want, (hands my dad a piece of paper with numbers on it) you could call them up on Monday.
Dad: No, we are already here. We did not receive any telephone calls or letters from your law firm, I didn't even hear anything about these monkeys until today. I am not paying thirty percent for something which didn't even materialize, and which I am not amicable to pay. If I send this money via bank, it would still be the same banana. If you don't want to receive this money, I want you to write me a letter informing me that you do not wish to accept the money I am giving you right now.
(Teller refuses, dad slams the billing statement on the table)
Dad: You billed me this amount, and that's what I am paying. If you don't want to receive this, I want to talk to your manager.

Manager comes, dad argues, manager gets the payment, we leave. Dad kept repeating how "kap-siao" the teller was and I had nothing to do but nod. I was shocked really. My dad never raises his voice on us like that nor does he slam things in front of us - but what matters is, he got the upper hand in the battle and he knows how to take charge. He explained later on how the signed letter of refusal would be a grave evidence against the network should the court trial be pushed through. That's my dad, such foresight in arguments.

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After that episode, dad brought me around the mall while my mom and other siblings were cruising the toy section. My mom had been insistent that my dad has already forgotten her value and thus would not give her any gifts this Christmas, as he had failed to do so in the past events as Valentine's Day, her birthday.. Oh well, guess she's up for a surprise. My dad already had something in mind, but was open to the potential options I came up with. In our search, he still got what he wanted - a bracelet watch. Mom likes his taste for watches and shoes, so I have a pretty good idea that she'll like what he got her. My job though is to wrap it and keep it away from her sight until Christmas night. Seems like an easy enough job..

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