Gift Coupons

There was a  brand promotion exercise in our apartment complex from a major automobile company. There were swanky cars on display and everybody including the kids were encouraged to touch and feel the cars. But this post is not about the cars, or even about the type of promotions they did. The gist of the matter is that there were some fun games and the emcee for the evening was distributing gift and gift cards to the winners of some of the games and quizzes. Yours truly was smart enough to win a gift coupon for INR 500/- for a major departmental store. Notice the words smart in the previous sentence; I was soon to regret the joy of winning the gift card in the quiz contest.

Richer by INR 500/- and trying to wipe off my super smart smile behind a veil of modesty I invited the Misses and kids to accompany me on the weekend to the departmental store so that we can purchase something for the INR 500/- from the departmental store. Now normally I am one of those boring guys who work with a list and I am very clear about shopping rules if it is in the list it goes to the cart if it is not in the list it is not important enough to be bought at this stage even if the thing is available at a hefty discount.

So once I got accustomed to the bright lights of the store I decided to start exploring the store and realized that most of the items are priced just above the magical figure of INR 500/-, but my mental mathematics was telling me that since I will be paying only another say 100/- rupees extra from my pocket my cost of acquisition of the item in question is only 100/- rupees and not 600/- as mentioned on the price tag of the item. So I was very happy to get a shirt for Rs. 100/- that would have cost me rupees 600/- had I not been smart enough to win the gift coupon for rupees 500/- Just when I was about to start my search for the cash counter in the maze of clothes  and other items on display I suddenly got tempted to a shining tie,  now ties are my weakness. Though I no longer wear ties to work my memories of my first job when only the boss types use to wear ties still linger in my memories. So I decided to buy the tie as it was on sale and very conveniently priced for Rs 750/-, so I thought I will keep the shirt back and take only the tie though this would have increased by mental mathematics bill to rupees 250/- as the rest was in form of the gift coupon. While I was about to do that my elder offspring very cutely mentioned that “Papa you will look really nice in the shirt, why don’t you take both”, now which father can say know to such persuasion. So my bill increased to 350/- not including the gift coupon. Next thing I know the younger one wanted a battery operated toy, the misses has selected a dress for the elder one as she had to participate in a function in the building. Now since only the wife was without an item to buy I decided to by a dress for her. In the entire total bill reached 5000/- not including the gift card, this when all I wanted to do was cash my 500/- gift coupon.

But the best was yet to happen

Once I reached the cash counter I gave the loot for the day to the cashier along with my credit card and the gift coupon. He gave me the bill and charged my credit card, when I was about to sign the charge slip I realized that he has not given me credit for the gift coupon. I pointed this out to him and he very innocently smiled and said” Oh  sorry, my mistake sir, but don’t worry your gift coupon has a validity for one year and you can use it next time” I wanted to argue with him to make the changes in the bill but the queue behind me was trying to give competition to Hanuman’s tail and was increasing by the second. So we left the queue with the gift coupon still in my hand.

Suddenly the manager of the store appeared and apologized for the goof up and handed me another 250/- rupees gift coupon and said “Sir you can use both of them the next time you are here”

I wanted to hug him and give all the love that I have in me, but decided instead to go to the junk food counter of the mall with the kids.

Want to join me next time I go to cash my gift coupons?