What happened last December 18, 2008: Shang escapades

I do not know what i wrote last december 18...probably surge of emotions, but this is about the Shang incident.
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December 18, 2008

“100 pesos poorer”

I LOVE BIANCA!

I totally relied on her today—relied on her for everything. She was the one who talked to my mom, she was the one who really asserted and defended me to the guards—I completely saw a different side of her. I saw her “don’t mess with Bianca” side, and I am really lucky that she was there the WHOLE time. I LOVE YOU BIA! You’re my wife! The people who say that you’re a bad friend can kiss my fat ass.

So what happened? We went to Shang, and my wallet was stolen… my bag was opened and my wallet was gotten from it. It was easy to get because it was quite big, but the best thing of all was that it didn’t have any money, so whoever stole my wallet—serves you right! You can get my card, but it’s canceled already, I don’t have any ATM… oh, but my Slimmer’s World ID is there, you can stare at my formerly fat self all day, but in the end, you still just got a 100 bucks. Yes, it could’ve bought me a starbucks, but there’s like 6 of you… you’d have the SHARE with that! I bet that won’t even pay the fare of going to Shang and doing your little rotten antics! So 100/ 6…that’s around 17 pesos per person… well Merry Christmas! I’m glad I was able to make you guys 17 pesos richer.

Anyway, the people in Rustan’s—I LOVE the sales ladies there. Thank you for sharing your concern…yes, I shall still shop there…you guys give the best service and I just want to tell all the Rustan’s people that you really give the customer care, and I appreciate it.

For the staff of the mall itself though… I really appreciate the security Head, I think his name was Major Padilla…but man, the people in charge of the car parking…they really need to know the essence of “accommodating” a customer with a bad experience.

They were so smug and rude…one guy even seemed to be laughing at us.

Before we went out of the parking at the 5th floor, one security guard asked us: “Ma’am, kayo po ba yung nanakawan ng wallet, yung walang ticket.” And I said: “Oo kami yun”. And they let us through… during this time, we thought that everything was okay and that all our troubles were over. Then at the cashier, when Bianca gave them her plate number and informed them about Mr. Padilla… this cashier guy asked this security guy to come over, and the security guard got Bia’s license. He just got it without eve explaining what to do with it.

So Bianca and I went out of the car, and then we said, we won’t pay because Major Padilla already said that we’d be exempt from paying the “lost car park ticket”. And then the security guard tells Bianca that even though the wallet got stolen, it’s still a lost car park sticker, so we’d have to pay. So we demanded that he talk to Major Padilla, because it was so unfair to us. We didn’t lose the ticket—my wallet was stolen! It was a bad enough experience in a mall that I really respected. I love Shang… I love the ambience, I thought that people who go there are those that would not do those things…I thought that security was good there…that’s my type of mall. I thought that they would take care of us more and be accommodating. But the whole time, in the parking area, they were giving us a hard time.

What made things really turn sour for Bianca and I was when the supervisor of the car parking came… That time the security guard took out a paper and then told us that all this time he was trying to say that we should follow procedures, and that we were not cooperating. And then this car parking guy backs him up, and he keeps on berating us that we were the ones causing trouble and we weren’t cooperating. He was even smiling, like as if Bianca and I were crazy people…it was that type of smile that was smug and rude. In the first place, the guard didn’t inform us anything…he could have just told us before he got the license that there were rules to follow. He was the one prolonging the whole thing, telling us that we’d have to pay. And then when we demanded him to radio Mr. Medina, he then said he’ll file us under “not paying”, and then now that some supervisor is there, he tells us that we refused to cooperate and follow the process.

Bianca and I, we wouldn’t get angry all of a sudden for nothing. I mean, people know me, I DON’T get angry. We may have raised our voice at the start, but we just wanted to clarify that we were cleared, but then NO ONE WAS LISTENING… they did not want to contact Mr. Padilla, until Biancac further pressed them to do so.

And the car parking supervisor? He was washing his hands from the whole thing…he told us that Mr. Padilla was from a different department. And I told him, they should still have coordinated, because they were ALL still under ONE MALL, ONE COMPANY! If the security department says this, they should also follow. What’s that, the security people know that we shouldn’t pay, but the car parking people would still ask us to pay? Why won’t they call Mr. Padilla in the first place to clarify? Whatever happened to coordination between departments? Whatever happened to respecting customers?

I know I was probably rude when I told him to wipe that smile off his face—but Bianca and I felt really disrespected during the whole process. Especially by the security guard, telling us one thing, and then when the supervisors came, telling a different story. PLEASE! I am also really annoyed with the car park supervisor, “You mean, they just had to fill up a paper and it would be over?” My gosh… we weren’t informed…and he kept on accusing us of not cooperating. We were cooperating…we were given clearance, when the security guard asked for Bianca’s license, she gave it, even though SECURITY GUARDS don’t have the right to get it—ONLY MMDA people can get licenses, you know!

I do not know if they were power tripping because we were young. If so, then let this be a warning to other people. In that mall, they also do not coordinate with say Rustan’s. Like if something happens to you in Rustan’s, you can inform the whole security of the mall, but they have jurisdictions. It was really unfortunate because the sales lady was able to see the group of women who stole my wallet… and it happened before. But since it’s a different jurisdiction, the security person said that they could not go to Rustan’s and coordinate or whatever. It was pretty… well… I don’t know… I just thought that after they got my wallet, they’d leave Rustan’s…so the next in line who would take responsibility are the main security, right? Shouldn’t they coordinate? I just feel like it means if I steal something in the department store, I’d get away with it just by stepping into the mall itself, since it’s a different jurisdiction…it’s just kind of weird.

This day taught me many things though. For one, I now know that there is really NO SAFE PLACE. It’s so annoying that those girls do this…on CHRISTMAS! A time when people are suppose to be enjoying, just as Bianca and I were planning on doing. Why should THEY DO THAT? There is no safe place because my friends and I hang-out in Shang since we feel that we’ll be secure there…maybe because of the crowd, or because of this supposedly accommodating feel from the staff. But nowhere is safe I guess. What happens in second-rate malls will also happen on a nice mall.

Secondly, you can never really expect optimal service. They can brag about it, and seem to have it, but when you really experience something, sometimes they all fall short. There would always be people who would not accommodate you, or who would make themselves look super superior to intimidate you, which is how it felt like when we were dealing with the car park people.

Lastly, I guess for all of us, we should just be careful. The world will never smile on us all the time. It was really a grace that I did not bring my money with me that time, but even though… the experience was still traumatic.

The most important thing I learned today was that how much you can get comfort from people you least expect. I’m really a parents’ girl, but I know how perfectionist they can get. When I got home, what I got was…well..nothing…oh just this: “Dapat kasi ganito magbuhat ng bag” (imagine an ugly mailman). And a: “Nandito na si Joyce…” and a reply: “O, anong oras na?”. At least my sister text me a Hug, and gave asked how things were. I’m not really an emotional person, but it was that type of thing that I just wanted to hear. I know…I guess I was pretty stupid because of the whole ordeal…I should have been vigilant, but I guess I was outsmarted by them. I never thought anyway that that would happen, in Shang…but I guess I should not hold any public place or mall in that much of high esteem.

I really appreciated the sales ladies in Rustans (in Luna, and in the watch shop that sells Tissot, and their department store manager) because they were asking if I was okay, etc.

And of course, how can I forget the OC? ^___^ Like I know Mooch was suppose to be shopping for a dress, but I think I kind of impeded on her plans because of what happened, but she still stayed with Bianca and I when I was going crazy… hahaha I was trying to absorb what happened, so we went to this Mickey place just to see these rooms that I wanted. She was also always holding my hand, and really concerned. Thanks Mooch!

Kevz, I was really touched when I found out that he was coding, but he still went to Shang. I’m sorry team 3, since he wasn’t able to have dinner with you…but I’m also happy because he came. Thanks Kevz! You did me two favors today ;) hehehe

Berna, Ben, Bia’s brother Ken and Ken’s friend Miguel were also there. I just love how Bianca and her brother are. Miguel and Ken, thank you for listening to my rants inside the car…and thank you for also understanding us when it came to dealing with the car park people. I hope we can all pull some strings, ne? J

I’m just really touched with how my friends are. I was never really a barkada person. I used to think that I can handle things on my own, or that friends are just people who’d come and go… but I don’t know, things have changed in medical school. I now find myself getting the emotional support I need from my friends, more than my parents. I just really appreciate it that they still like me even though I’m such a loser, and even though I’m so choosy with food. I don’t eat burgers guys, sorry… ;)

I’m just really thankful I have them with me…and I promise to be a good friend to all. I’m not really good with the emotional stuff…I’m not good with receiving complements, so I may react like masungit sometimes…I have a VERY EARLY curfew, I don’t drink, I don’t dance, I don’t do cool stuff, I’m not fun, I’m not cool, I don’t party, I don’t go to bars, I don’t like places that are too crowded…I’m weird, I listen to music that I don’t even understand, I’m emo, I’m moody…I annoyingly and constantly complain about my weight, I’m ugly and my curls aren’t that curly anymore, I’m not good with school, I’m a seatmate who’s too talkative, I’m a girl, yet sometimes I act like a boy, I overdose myself with caffeine and Starbucks’ coffee… I’m… I have a LOT OF limitations, yet I’m lucky to have friends like you…thanks so much. I wish that my little surprises are enough to show how much I care for our friendships, and I promise to do my best to be a better friend.