Monday, September 25, 2006
excuses, excuses
I think people can be so creative when it comes to cooking up excuses to extend a deadline or to get out of trouble at work.
I was trying to buy this particular thing today at Far East and the shop was closed. The paper stuck on the shutters stated the opening hours as 1pm to 9pm. A quick check of my watch showed it was 1.30pm.
Seeing a telephone number listed on the paper, i gave the guy a call. Here's how it went:
Me: Hello? Samuel? I'm standing outside your shop now and would like to purchase xxx Do you have it?
(i can't tell you what does xxx stand for right now because xxx is jp's birthday present and his birthday is only next month.And no, xxx does not indicate that it's a sex toy!).
Samuel: Oh, good morning*. xxx? Yes, we do. Its S$xxx.
*note that silly fella said "morning" when it's already afternoon. I wonder where did he go cheong the night before. I digress.Me: Oh, that's great! I'd like to buy it. Er, what time are u opening your shop? You are open today right? It's er, 1.30pm now.
Samuel: Oh!! You mean the shop is not open? It should be open really soon. My guys should be on the way to open the shop.
Me: Oh. Really soon? Er, would that be like within 1/2 hour? Can you get your guys to call me when the shop's open? Cuz I need to go back to work.
Samuel: Yes, yes. Definitely. My guys will be there really soon to open shop. Just wait for a while ok?
Me: Okay.
(note that he didn't ask me for my name at all...so how was he gg to address me when he called?):
:
20mins pass and i'm back outside the shop. It is still closed. I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt and walk around somemore.
:
:
It's now 40mins from the 1st phone call. I am back outside the shop. It is still closed. I decide to give Samuel another call.
Me: Hello. Samuel? I'm outside your shop. It's still closed.
Samuel: Hello. Closed? Really? Haiya..my guys told me that they are on the way already lei.
Me: Erm, is it? I can't wait anymore you know. I got to go.
Samuel: Nono, they will be there really soon. Er, I call you back in 5 mins? No, call u back, 1 min.
Me: Er, okay.
:
:
:
1min comes and goes. No call.
:
:
:
10mins. No call.
:
:
I decide to walk back to the shop for 1 last check. It is still
CLOSED.
I leave.
I was part angry
(that jackass wasted my time, damnit!!!) and part amused. I was amused that the guy was so stupid to pay rental for a shop when it's closed for the good part of the day. Last time i checked, Far East rental is not cheap. I was also amused that he left his hp number on the paper outside his shop when calling him obviously was useless. Apparently, Samuel does not return calls. And finally, I was amused that his employees, knowing what a dodo their boss was, don't turn up for work at the stipulated time and their boss is none the wiser.
So yea, i was pretty amused. That, and the fact that Samuel reminds me of my own boss, Sam.
Haha. Even their names are similar.
In case you didn't know, Sam is the king of excuses.
Here are some of the excuses that I've seen so far, cooked up some both Sam and some of my clients.
"Was on leave for sometime due to a
personal emergency. Will check and let you know."
(Really? So qiao. Are personal things always not an "emergency"? Just say on leave lah!)My apologies for the late submission. My Technical Director was hospitalized for
acute pneumonia the past 3 days and only managed to receive the documents this morning.
(What's the chances of getting acute pneumonia in SG? And the Director recovered so soon to do work? Amazing!)Was caught in a
car accident.
(No comment.)And here is my boss' auto-responder. Isn't it funny?
Hello....
sigh...sigh.....got flu again. Am on
self-quarantine. Will be resting and working from home. If you need to beep me, please feel free and call me or sms me. Will try to return call.
(actually, my whole company got quarantined before so this is not really an excuse. But it really sounds like one, doesn't it? Like damn keng lor. hahaha.)
XxX,
audrey at 15:31