Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Mata pobre?

last night, my husband and I went to this optical shop in Shangrila. It has become our suki these past years but when we got there last night, there were no familiar faces, only hostile-looking ones. Sure the clerk who attended to us initially was smiling, but one could sense a smirk behind that smile. She refracted my husband ever so briefly and as we were on our way out she said the doctor was back.

My husband proceeded to the check up room while the doctor was unloading her things behind a counter. I told her my husband was there ever so gently but her reply floored me. Something to the effect that "can you wait?"

I kept my peace but knew I didn't like her. Then when she was trying to convince my husband to get progressive lenses, I was telling my husband I wouldn't recommend it but she just kept yakking on as if she were deaf where i was concerned and blind. Ok, I didn't care so I just kept talking to my husband. When my husband said he wanted to use my old frame for his glasses (and it was at home), she kept letting him try on new ones and said mine might be too small. I told my husband, "don't be cowed by her, don't be bamboozled." Luckily he didn't. When she started saying my glasses would be too small, I said, check your records. I got them from here. Maybe you can appreciate how they look.

Then I saw her assistant looking at a bundle of index cards, tied together by a rubber band. I said, "ay hindi pa computerized." She said, "hindi". Her assistant asked for my name and after I said it, she found my card and handed it to the doctor (actually an optometrist) who exclaimed, "11 thousand pala ang glasses mo noong 2005 mo pa binili." Then she smiled warmly. Aha so that was what it was all about. All along she had been showing us glasses costing less than 5 thousand and was very haughty because she thought we were too poor to afford more costly frames. She was so different suddenly. Earlier I actually wanted to wheel out (yes, I can't walk) but as it wasn't because of me that we were there in the first place, I held my peace.

Bully for those who don't treat customers who aren't dressed in designer clothes or who aren't rich-looking well. Chances are they end up shocked and apoplectic, err apologetic without saying as much. Their seemingly poor customers are better off than they look. mwahaha.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Can you imagine how many times I - who's always in my favorite denims and backpack - have received this kind of treatment?

Haay. It's so disappointing how some people think that money is everything.

I'm happy you were not cowed by her rudeness.

antonette said...

i guess it's different when one is older. one doesn't get cowed too easily, except that it also means one tends to have more enemies. what a trade-off.