.Saturday, June 23, 2007 ' 2:43 AM Y
BEWARE: Long and crappy blog entry ahead. Read on for some laughs. Note: Strong sense of humor may be needed.
Did another part time stint at IKEA again today. And man, this is the first time I've ever worked until so pissed off in IKEA. In fact, I think it can rival any other "pissed-off" experiences I've ever had with customers. My job was to give out these blue little plastic bags to the customers for goodness knows what reason, with this other girl named Chu Zhen. At first I was working happily, smiling at customers until my cheeks hurt. Because the place simply makes me happy. Every time I work there I enjoy myself loads, as though I'm playing instead of working. But today was different.
After we came back from our lunch breaks, Cassandra (our IC) told us that we needed to give out bottled water too. So of course we had to comply lah. Can say no meh? So we turned the plastic bags into goody bags containing a bottle of water each. Creative right? Haha. Anyway, what made me (and CZ also) so very pissed off was the fact the Singaporeans can be so damn kiasu that I find it disgusting. Like, first when you try to hand them the bag, they avoid you like the plague because they think you're trying to sell them the bloody thing. After that they hear that its free and then they swarm up to you like bees flocking to honey. Then they will say "Can I have 2? I'm with so-and-so." Then, we have the funny parents who say "My kids need a bag too." I'm seriously very curious as to what the kids will be using the bag for. AND THEN there are the people who take and take and take and take simply because its free. There was this man who came up to me and asked for extra bags. I told him "Sorry, 1 per customer." And he very loudly and rudely (bu shuang lah) said: "You sure anot?! I got over ten already you know?!" STUPID LAH. GOT TEN ALREADY STILL WAN TO TAKE SO MANY. WIPE YOUR ARSEHOLE IS IT? Why are there such morons on earth?!!
That's 3 different kinds of people already. And there's still more to go. There is this certain group of customers who will shake their hand and turn away when you try to hand them a bag. They think they need to pay mah. After when they hear its free, they turn around and ask for two. Before you think I'm repeating myself, read on first. After you pass them 2 bags, all the while with a very "tu-lan" smile on your face, they turn back and exclaim:" HAR?!! SO SMALL ARH? PUT WHAT?" Zzz... Then don't take lah! Still walk away with the plastic bags all the while complaining about the size of the thing. Like, please lah. People give you freebies you still want complain. Too small then don't take lah! CZ was the best. When one customer asked her the same question ("So small put what?!"), she told the woman: Put small things lor. LOL. Both of us were so pissed off and disgusted by the behaviour of those people that we resorted to pasting sacarstic smiles on our face and NOT talking to the customers. Anything just nod and smile or shake our head and smile. Haha.
THEN THEN THEN there's this group of people who want to make themselves feel/look better, so when they grab 3 or 4 extra bags, they tell us (and themselves) that its to help save the environment. Oh my freaking GHOST! I thought precisely the more you take the more you waste. Like that how to save environment I ask you?
Last but NOT least, we have this special group of people who also grab the plastic bags like its some national treasure. That would be the IKEA staffs. I'm not saying ALL of them. I'm saying the cashier aunties and the trolley steward uncles. Early in the morning when we just started work, they came over and started taking from us already. One stupid bastard (trolley uncle) even took like, more than 10 pieces can. FOR WHAT I ASK YOU? I even "suan" him. I stood there and pretended to chit chat with him (all the while disliking him with all my heart) and said:" Why you guys want so many of the bags? I would never be caught dead carrying one of those. So "throw-face", 'cause the bag very "obiang"." His reply was that he could use the bags for grocery shopping at NTUC. One shoulder carry one. So total at one time only can carry 2 right? And the bag is supposed to be reusable. Which means that you can bring it home after shopping and use again the next time round. So why take so many? You got ten shoulders to carry all the bags is it? And as if he will even use it. *Rolls eyes*
I am thoroughly disgusted and ashamed of the behaviour of all those "kiasu" customers (and staff). Please do not travel abroad and announce to the world that you are Singaporeans. I'm not saying I'm almighty and superior to everyone else, but at least I don't go for petty gains like PLASTIC BAGS. One is enough what. Take so many for what? Our President won't visit you and say :"WAH! You got so many IKEA plastic bags. VERY GOOD! You are a model citizen!" =.=" I think PAP should have a meeting and come up with ways to curb this super "kiasu" kind of behaviour from Singaporeans. Here's an example of what they should do:
PM Lee: Let's come up with ways to try and minimise the "kiasu-ness" of our citizens.
MM Lee: Yes, my son is right. He's very clever! Come! Lets think!
Thinking in progress......
PAP Member 1: I KNOW! We FINE the people who are too kiasu!
PM Lee: Good idea! Fine how much? $1k? $2k? Is that too little?
PAP Member 1: 5k! See who still dare to be "kiasu"!
PAP Member 2: But how do we define "kiasu"? They can say that there're taking the freebies for their friends and families what.
PM Lee: Yah arh... Hmm... Come! Let's think somemore!
Thinking in progress again...
PAP Member 3: I know how to define "kiasu" already!
All present: HOW?!
PAP Member 3: "Kiasu" will refer to all those people who takes lots and lots of freebies and claim they need it when common sense tells you that they're only taking because its free!
All present: Orh... Like that ar... Okay lor... (Thinks to themselves) Die liao lor. Next time no more free food sample liao. T.T!!!
Haha. That was something I came up on the spot all by myself. Stupid right? But its just for fun and laughter lah, though I really hope that there was something we could do to make people stop being so "kiasu".
I know this post was pretty draggy and crappy, what with me venting my frustrations about work, but I hope whoever is still reading on at this point liked the "skit" I came up with. Haha. Remember. Its just for FUN AND LAUGHTER. Please have a sense of humor. And last thing before I sign off, here's a bit of advice for readers. IKEA no longer provides free plastic bags (as in those NTUC kind) to customers. One small plastic bag costs 5 cents and a large one costs 10 cents. So next time you decide to shop at IKEA, you might want to bring along your own bags unless you don't mind paying the extra few cents. All proceeds from the sale of the plastic bags go towards the WWF (World Wildlife Fund, now also known as World Wide Fund for Nature). THIS is the real meaning of "saving the environment". Anyone who wants a free reusable bag (one size only) from IKEA can head down to any of their two stores this weekend and next weekend to get one (or maybe two.) But remember, DON'T BE KIASU! =)
