When those dreaded "relatives" comes a calling.....

Usually bad news. They either:

1) Announce that someone's dead - who cares.
2) Wants to borrow money - which is unlikely as this one's the most loaded of the whole lot.
3) Wants an immediate favor - and when i say "immediate", it's like "call me back with an answer afterwards". More like a command than a request.

Hello, you think this is MULTIPURPOSE AGENCY ahh. I jump at your every beck and call ah?

Well, i said in my last post that i wanted to rant a bit, right. Actually, i wanted to start off the workdays after CNY with a good note, but it seems that some people just wouldnt let me. So, if they are doing it on purpose, i might as well just paste it all over my blog for all to read.

It went like this. This rich woman called up sometime before CNY and wanted me to order a water filter for her. Nehhh, those humongous stainless-steel rocket type water filter people install at their main water inlet leh. Knowing very well i get very good discounts from the supplier and i've ordered many before for my friends and their family members, and mine too. And naturally, expect the same service from me.

I obliged the favor. Why? I could have just turned her down by saying no and hang up the phone what, hoh. But then, a friend wanted me to order a set of replacement sands to be delivered before CNY and i thought, oh, what the heck. Kill two birds with one stone. Well, i told her (my cibai-faced relative) since it's a favor, i only do COD (Cash On Delivery) and stated the price. She started whining and comparing prices from waaay back in year 2002 when i first told her how much one cost. Two choices, take it or leave it. Because i bet you, she would have scoured the WHOLE of Ipoh for the unit's price BEFORE she called me.

You know lah, when relatives buy from you ah, they really think they are doing you a big favor by putting money in your pocket. Fuck, like i needed it that bad. Which is one of the main reasons why i refrain from doing business with relatives. And somemore, they want credit, niamahfulat. They fucking think i run a charity organisation??? I dont think they get credit from wateva establishments they're buying from, unless they're swiping their platinum cards. So, what makes them think i ought to give them credit like i owe it to them?

To cut it short, i arranged for delivery but was busy with other pre-CNY errands like last minute banking/collection/deliveries when the water-filter was being delivered on 26th Jan. She called on the evening of 27th and asked me to conjure up a last minute plumber to install the water-filter for her as hers fong-fei-kei (didnt turn up as promised), and her husband's giving her lots of flak for doing things at the very last minute. I told her i dont do installation (because it's a very messy business and i kam-pun-sai-sau already - no longer handle these anymore) and moreover, which plumber wants to work on the day just before CNY. Everyone sau-kung (closed) already leh. She whined even more and hung up.... ya, like i care.

I called for my payment on the 28th; the day before CNY. Because, according to chinese customs, collections must be completed for business transactions conducted in the same lunar year. So, it's only reasonable that i call for my money on the day before CNY. She barked at me the moment i asked her to drop the money by my place with my MIL/hubby as i'm out of the house and i know very well that she'll definitely be dropping by later. She blatantly argued that her filter's not installed yet and how is she to know whether the unit's faulty or not. DNMCH!! I reminded her that we agreed on COD and if the filter's faulty, i'd get it replaced.

Fucking hell. How am i to know when she'll ever get the darned thing installed. It could well be like 2 or 3 months later if it suits her. She then hung up on me, that MFCB face. She dropped by later that night without cash nor cheque and gave me a black face. I ignored her. She can pay whenever she wants to lah, not that i care anymore. No point arguing with such "ngiaww" (unreasonable) people. When she came to visit during CNY, i gave her one of my most plastic of smile and left the house with hubby and Gordon. Like i want to stick around and entertain her... NEVER!!! It'll aggravate my gastric.

Two days ago, i came home and saw this on my computer table.

!@#$%^&*()_@#$%^&*()@#$%^&* CHEQUE

Some people just simply want to display their superior cheque writing skills. NMH, wrote me a cheque that wouldnt clear AT ALL. And when i call up to inform her, no apologies also nevermind. Told me she'll drop by another when she's free next time. So, when is that next time? You say this kind of people cheap or not? My tulan-ness justifiable or not, diu.

If not for giving face to hubby, i would have flakked her. Henceforth, i swear. All his relatives are blacklisted for good when it comes to business/favors/wateva. It's a matter of principle. Mine, for that matter.