Wind In My Head: Bordering on Bureaucracy
Wind In My Head
Monday, July 18, 2005
Bordering on Bureaucracy
Saturday was Harry Potter Day and since we waited outside Target to get the last one, we decided we'd do it again. I mean, it was a day where you saw people sitting anywhere and everywhere reading the book and there were festivities and street parades. I think if I dug deep enough, I'd find a photo of myself beside the replica of the Flying Ford Anglia that appeared in the Chamber of Secrets.So, we woke up early Saturday morning, as if it were any other school day and got to Borders just as they were tearing open the boxes. As Dan has already talked about the actual experience involving long queues and sleep deprived, hyperactive, buzzing on chocolate or something else kids, I won't repeat the story.
What really pissed me off though was Borders itself. Growl.
Most of the Harry Potter books were packed in innocuous brown boxes. Not very exciting. But there were some that came in more interesting boxes with the title of the book emblazoned all over.
In Melbourne, we had asked the Target staff if we could take a box and they did, with a smile and a quip about how people would think we bought an entire box full of the book. That was nice. We shipped the box back and now, it contains Dan's old comics. I thought another box would be way cool, to remember the experience and to keep the previous box company. Plus Dan sure has a whole lot of comics.
When we first asked the Borders staff, they said they couldn't give it to us. Anyway, the box was yet to be unpacked so we thought perhaps that was why. Then I found someone who was flattening all the boxes and asked her if we could have the printed ones. She was glad to give it to us seeing that it would mean 2 less boxes to flatten and fold. She also assured us they were clean and we should just go ahead.
So Yay! But. We should have made an immediate exit after that because when spotted by Borders staff, they told us we COULDN'T take the boxes out, even though other people had.
Staff: You can't have those boxes
Us: But the aunty gave it to us.
Staff: Well, you can't.
Us: But other people have walked off with them and they're just boxes.
Staff: Give it back.
Us: why?
Staff: It's under contract.
Us: What contract? Bloomsbury is environmentally conscious enough to want the boxes recylced?
Staff: Just give it back to us.
Us: But you still have SO many other boxes.
Staff: It's in the rules, you have to give it to us. (with the silent "Or else, we'll call security" threat)
Us: Why don't you close your eyes and we'll put it under on Invisible cloak and disapparate?
Staff (Evil Stare): No.
Us: Fine. Next time we're going to Kinokuniya.
So, apparently, the big American book store in Singapore has stayed in Singapore for far too long, being infected by our very anal by the book cannot give you logical explanation but expect you to follow don't ask questions bureaucracy. And they're doing a very good job too, assimilating into local bureaucratic culture.
I should have guessed this actually. I wanted to redeem some credit card points to get Borders vouchers so that I could buy the book without actually paying 40 bucks for it. But I was told that the book would be considered a discounted item and you couldn't use the vouchers on items that are discounted. Even if you offered to pay full price for it, they will not allow you to use the vouchers. Even if it means they get to make 20% (or however much the discount is) more off you. Can you say stick up their ass?
This befuddles me. And when I tell my brother about all this, he sends me this biblical verse in response. "Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels" 2 Timothy 2:23
Point taken. Next time, I go to Kino.
Ondine tossed this thought in at 08:25
4 thoughts...
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At 10:01 am
Threez said... *LMAO*
Oops, dropped my ass on the floor laughing.
Let ME put on my Invisibility cloak and see if I can wizard one of them boxes out for you. Then again the three headed beast is probably reading your blog and hoarding all the boxes in the back room. Maybe Mr Brown knows the secret stairway ...-
At 12:09 pm
wahj said...
yes, next time go to kino - not that they'd be any less bureaucratic, but they'd be more straightforward about it.
I've always found Kinokuniya to be more of a bookstore than Borders - Kino's has a wider selection of books, and their staff are knowledgeable and helpful, i.e. they actually know something about books. Borders seems to staff themselves with a range of teenagers of varying competence, some of whom know what a book is, others of which are hopeless.
Go to borders if you want to sit down and read: go to Kino if you seriously want to find a book.-
At 5:51 pm
Cowboy Caleb said...
Thanks for coming to BLoggers.SG
I know who you are, cause I saw you and Tym talking. That tiny pic hides nuthing.-
At 11:06 pm
Johnny Malkavian said...
You could wait a year or two to get the book at an even further discount. At last check, Order of the Phoenix was going for $7.50! So much for $40 being the discounted price huh?
Download and read the e-book in the meantime. 8)