Fruits are Non-Refundable!

...umm well, yes of course I knew that. Now, how I found out about that is...a rather embarrassing story.

Last week my mother and I went grocery shopping. After getting tired of seeing only 'green' grapes at every supermarket we spotted red grapes! finally!! (No, we did not break out into a happy dance, that would be just too weird...desis doing the happy dance?? yikes!) Anyway, my mom picked up a bunch well over two pounds (2 Lbs) and continued to shop for the other items. We checked out, paid the bill and left. The End. Okay fine, there's more to it...

Just so you all know, I usually don't look at the receipt to check and see if someone has jipped me. You see, I trust folks to not rip me off because I wouldn't rip them off. Sadly, I have learned this, on my own expense, that not everyone thinks like that! Well whaddaya know! (D'oh!)

Now my mother, she checks the bill. Let me tell you, you ain't a true desi if you don't check that bill twice man! Anyway, so she came up to my room to inform me that we had sadly been jipped! (Enter any Hitchcock/Bollywood horror movie sound right about here). Yes, folks we were ripped off. On what? Red grapies!! Apparently, my mother saw a sign that read $2.99 lbs. The bill showed we were charged $4.99 lbs for the grapes ($4.99???). Hence the charge: $10.39.

Since it was too late to go back to the supermarket, she told me we'd go talk to them tomorrow.

The next evening my mom reminded me of how we had to go to the supermarket (darn! I thought, she'd forgotten! lol!). Anyway, so I picked her up and we went to the supermarket and as we walked to their "Courtesy Desk" (note: Courtesy?), my mom half fuming now, says "who are they trying to fool! $2.99 grapes for $4.99?? nonsense! Oh...and your daddy ate some grapes from the bunch but that's okay."

Suddenly, the desk seemed closer than it really was. "WHAT??? You mean Daddy ate some of the grapes off this bunch and you're telling me this NOW?" I could feel my face taking on the colour of the grapes now (umm....yep, I can see justice prevailing).

We reached the front desk and the lady (cashier) peers down at us from her bifocals (in monotone voice): Yes, how can I khelp (help) you?

Me: Uh....well, we...uh..bought these grapes *gulp* yesterday and we think we have been overcharged.

So, the cashier looks at the bill and the price listed on it and says "Nooooo, that price is correct, we no overcharge no nothing!

By now, mum feels it's time for her to step in: "Listen ma'am, the sign said $2.99, I vud never buy if it vuz $4.99!!!"

Cashier: "Okay fine, you want your mOney (money) back?" she says as she opens the bag of grapes. Now, as she's doing that, out pops an empty container of fruit yogurt that someone ate and decided to throw in the wrong bag!!! (I still haven't figured out who it was at home that did that!) By now, I think I have taken on the colour of the cashier's bright red uniform too.

My mom, thinking we will finally win this case chirps all at once "Yes, please..thank you!"

The cashier wrinkles her nose, closes the bag and says "We don't give refunds on fruits! You can't bring fruit back!"

Okay, so that was a deal breaker right there. Just for the record, we did not really go into that supermarket with the intention of returning those little suckers (i.e. grapes). We just wanted the extra money back that we were overcharged (it's about principles man!!) but instead we were lectured on fruits being non-refundable! Oh well, I know I'm never going back there again (although, even though the lady pretty much embarrassed us, my mom wanted to still shop some more from the SAME place...I had to grab her arm and escort her out).

Dear Supermarket: I hope you lose your grapes!

Signed,

Me!

Okay, this is the best comeback I can come up with right now. They're lucky I'm tired and hungry right now. Hmph!

Monday Morning Bloggy Post

You can just tell by the title how inspired I am to write, right now. I just had to update my blog because it seems so outdated!

Anyway, I picked up a large coffee this morning to get me through Monday (I'm still sipping away!) I also had a fruit explosion muffin from Tim Hortons. Usually, when I'm not in the mood for a bagel, I'll have a fruit explosion (FE) muffin instead. When I do order this muffin, I always ask for a spoon. Of course, I also get a rather strange stare as well. I think I would be curious too if a regular customer walked in asking for a spoon everytime they ordered an FE muffin.

Okay, I think I now have you all wondering why I order a spoon too now! You see, the FE muffin has a fruity jam filling inside it. It's fine when you rip off the top with your bare hands but when you get to the bottom of it, there's this sweet fruity jam that is also quite messy and sticky. Soooooooooooo, here's where the spoon comes in handy. Ta-da!

I am still waiting for the Tim Horton's cashier to ask me why I need a spoon (I know the question will come soon) so I think I better have a 2 sec summary of the above :o)

Enjoy your Monday folks!

Parenting...

...is probably the most difficult thing to do. It requires patience, patience and...oh yes! Patience.

I'm not a parent but I have seen parents having to endure a lot and have wondered how they do it?

This evening on my way back from work, a mother and her two young toddlers got on the train*. The youngest boy who was tucked between some warm blankets in his stroller, kept trying to weasle out of the stroller. The poor mother kept pushing him back in as she tried to balance herself. The other son decided that while his mother was busy trying to calm the little one, he would do a pole dance (no not really that kind). He grabbed the pole and swung around it, held it tightly and slid down it. While the mother, still trying to get the little one to sit put, tried to grab the pole dancer - who by now, had managed to swing from one pole to the next!

The mother gave him "the look." She even threatened to take away his TV (on the weekends) but that kid did not let any of that stop him from enjoying the pole dance. The kid was so hyper, he ended up bouncing from one of the poles and landed right on top of another guys lap! You can imagine this young man's surprise/expression, (who was sound asleep while listening to his Mp3 player) having to wake up and find a kid in his lap!

Of course, after seeing that I could not wipe the grin off my face (so evil I know!). The mother now asked her son to apologize but he was too shy. He once again, continued his dance until the mother gave him "the look" (again) but this time threatening him by telling him the Transit Control guys will give him a ticket for behaving bad AND that he will have to pay it out of his own bank account. Guess what? The kid stopped INSTANTLY! Meanwhile, I'm sitting there thinking "He has a BANK ACCOUNT? A 4 year old has a bank account?"


*Anyway, you're probably thinking....great, another train story? Well, let me tell you, the amount of time I spend commuting daily, I think I'll have enough train stories to tell my grandchildren until they become young adults. Feel free to send your grandchildren over too, I'm sure I'll have enough to tell!

Just a Random Post

Commuting can either be really boring or just plain interesting (did that make sense?). Anyhoo, today while I was on the train - on my way home - I sat in the window seat. As the train pulled through the dark tunnel, I noticed a reflection. It was the reflection of this one woman who sat there listening to her Mp3 player (let me guess iPod?), staring at the window.

What I found disturbing and amusing was the expression on her face. Honestly, she looked horrified! So I, of course not having a book to read and practically nothing else to do, sat there mentally listing all the possible reasons for her horrified look:

a) She was listening to horror music in her Mp3 player? (Something from perhaps, Alfred Hitchcock's stories?)

b) She just remembered that she threw her cat in with the laundry this morning?

c) She had a rumbly in her tummy? (expired food can do that to you, you know?)

d) She can't see her own reflection in the window and thinks she might be a ghost?

Okay, I stopped at 'd' because I realized how silly this whole thing was getting. Thank God she didn't have the ability to read my mind...wait...or did she? Eeeeeeeeeeek!! *horrified*

As you can tell by the title of this post...it was definitely random.

So Soon??

As I walk into the door from work today, my mom proudly pushes a round, white container of some cream in my face. I turn the container to see what it is and the label reads: Loreal's Wrinkle Defense Cream. That's moisturizer in her words.

I found something very disturbing about that. Now, I know my mother wasn't trying to hint that I should start using an "anti wrinkle" cream (she would just say it straight up if that were the case), it was just something else that bothered me about it. I have always wondered when you're supposed to start using those Anti-aging creams yet I never thought I'd fall in that category at least not THIS early. Heck, when do you start using those products?

Today, at the age of 27, I find myself in front of the mirror actually searching for signs of aging aka wrinkles and I question the face in the mirror, "So soon?" Eeeek!

Perhaps I need chocolate.

Another Addiction...

This time it's chocolate. For the past few weeks I have been donating to various fundraising campaigns and in return I have been receiving chocolate. Chocolate. It almost hurts my teeth as I say it.

So far, I have downed 4 bars of the huge Hershey-melt-in-your-mouth kind of chocolates. My skin is breaking out like there's no tomorrow and despite THAT I can't stop. I still have a pack of those new mini Rolo chocolates resting on my dresser. A part of me wants to chuck it out or give it away but who in their right mind would get rid of chocolate??? Sadly, not I.

Dear God, once this pack of mini Rolos is gone please help me to refrain from ALL types of chocolates. Please Please Pleassssssse!!

Is it Really Possible?

While fasting, I realized something this month. I think I may no longer be addicted to coffee! Yep, folks that's right you read correctly.

On my way to work in the morning, I find myself striding past my usual coffee shop and not have even the slightest desire to drink one. I won't lie, I have on occasion slowed down as I walk past the shop, just to take in that wonderful aroma of roasted coffee. But other than that nothing.

I can't believe it's been days since I had coffee!! In fact, I find that I am more energetic at work without it! I do have a cup of tea in the evening after Iftar (breaking of the fast), perhaps that's why. But I'm still proud of myself. I am wondering if I could pull this off even after Ramadan.

Before Ramadan, normally I would have at least 2-3 cups of coffee at work and then a cup in the evening on my drive home or after dinner. This practice would leave me heavy-eyed in the morning, sheesh...what was I thinking!

On a side note, one of my friend's, also a coffee addict, just found out she's expecting. This means NO coffee for her. She has cut out almost all caffeine from her system but the poor thing ain't doin' too well with the change. It's not easy letting go of a habit. I just hope I don't fall into the vicious cycle of downing cups after cups of coffee!