the find
the moment i stepped into borders, my eyes scanned the entrance in full force.
no signs of Eclipse or Breaking Dawn, only the overstock of Twilight and New Moon.
i was taken aback to see how badly that book was in demand. there were the others who just roamed around that particular area in the hopes of finding the 3rd and 4th, hoping that the staff would bring out the freshly baked copies of the book.
so i moved on, i went to the other end of borders hoping to find them 'accidentally' lying on the floor but i guessed that place seems to be 'litter' free.
i headed back and joined the other vultures scavenging the area near the main entrance. our eyes darted from left to right in search of just anything that would lead us to the our prey. just as i reached the shelve, i saw the 4th. half excitement came settling in; half because i knew i needed the 3rd book more than the 4th, no use reading the 4th without the 3rd.
there it was, Breaking Dawn, full of fingerprints on the glossy cover, the spine not that fully perfect, but it was good enough. and for a 760 page book costing only $23.90 was a fairly good deal. i examined the situation, the cultrure vultures werent looking, i grabbed it quickly before all them vultures set their eyes on it.
we actually knew where the 3rd book was, behind the info counter, reserved for the other vultures and crows. bloody bastards. while i was stuck in camp, driving, they took the opportunity to go through underhand means like calling the store to make reservations. totally not a level playing field.
target sighted. i saw one of the male store assistant holding 3 copies of the 3rd.
i approached, "hi, do you still have any more copies of Eclipse FOR sale?"
he looked at me hard and there was a 1 second of silence. almost like as if he was judging and weighing the pros and the cons of selling that book to me. a half smile drawn on his eyes,
"sorry sir, these are customer's reservation"
and off he went to the back.
right then and there, i stood frozen. i know what that meant. the pure definition of defeat. i felt the innards of me melting. i knew i could cry at any instant then. i wanted to just run to the back of the counter and grab that copy for myself. there was even these 2 teenagers holding the book, in my head i'd already planned to ask them, "can i buy that book for $50? or $100?"
but i knew they wouldnt falter. they were them vultures too. they wouldnt stoop that low and agree.
so i just went to the cashier and paid, unsatisfied. i looked around. a sudden theory came to my head at that moment, "you can never trust the americans, trust the japanese"
i based that theory on my megazord collections, nothing is more sturdy and engaging then the Japanese version of the toy.
so i left that damned borders and headed to kinokuniya.
i squeezed in through the traffic of people, i don't know how many there were cussing me already. but i just had no choice. i was heading for something that was going out of stock real soon in a matter of minutes. alas, i reached Kinokuniya in record time.
i headed to the book locating computer thingamajig. i typed "eclipse" and a whole bunch of other irrelevant Eclipse book came out. and then i refined my search by adding "Stephenie Meyer" to the author section of the search, printed the result, and i took at least 2o steps when i saw this unsuspecting vulture reaching out for the book that i've been needing.
"look, eclipse" she mouthed
"NO!!!!!" my head shouted. no voice came through my mouth. i was numb.
i headed closer, i zoomed there actually.
but then there it was, 6 copies of eclipse.
and the hardcover version of the Breaking Dawn that costs double to what i paid at borders.
and it was in my hand. i happily went to the cashier and paid.
"dangerous right? its flying off the shelves like nobody's business... congrats on the buy. we ARE the lucky few"
fithrin replied to my text.
fithrin had actually booked out in his army smart 4 uniform, flagged a cab and headed there first. he offered me a ride but i'd wanted to relax and change into civilian at home. a risky move, now that i saw the result
________
and then i went to sentosa and bought the bus models i've been intending to buy since 2005. buy 2 get 1 free. and then i met deane at vivocity. chillax. and then headed home.
no signs of Eclipse or Breaking Dawn, only the overstock of Twilight and New Moon.
i was taken aback to see how badly that book was in demand. there were the others who just roamed around that particular area in the hopes of finding the 3rd and 4th, hoping that the staff would bring out the freshly baked copies of the book.
so i moved on, i went to the other end of borders hoping to find them 'accidentally' lying on the floor but i guessed that place seems to be 'litter' free.
i headed back and joined the other vultures scavenging the area near the main entrance. our eyes darted from left to right in search of just anything that would lead us to the our prey. just as i reached the shelve, i saw the 4th. half excitement came settling in; half because i knew i needed the 3rd book more than the 4th, no use reading the 4th without the 3rd.
there it was, Breaking Dawn, full of fingerprints on the glossy cover, the spine not that fully perfect, but it was good enough. and for a 760 page book costing only $23.90 was a fairly good deal. i examined the situation, the cultrure vultures werent looking, i grabbed it quickly before all them vultures set their eyes on it.
we actually knew where the 3rd book was, behind the info counter, reserved for the other vultures and crows. bloody bastards. while i was stuck in camp, driving, they took the opportunity to go through underhand means like calling the store to make reservations. totally not a level playing field.
target sighted. i saw one of the male store assistant holding 3 copies of the 3rd.
i approached, "hi, do you still have any more copies of Eclipse FOR sale?"
he looked at me hard and there was a 1 second of silence. almost like as if he was judging and weighing the pros and the cons of selling that book to me. a half smile drawn on his eyes,
"sorry sir, these are customer's reservation"
and off he went to the back.
right then and there, i stood frozen. i know what that meant. the pure definition of defeat. i felt the innards of me melting. i knew i could cry at any instant then. i wanted to just run to the back of the counter and grab that copy for myself. there was even these 2 teenagers holding the book, in my head i'd already planned to ask them, "can i buy that book for $50? or $100?"
but i knew they wouldnt falter. they were them vultures too. they wouldnt stoop that low and agree.
so i just went to the cashier and paid, unsatisfied. i looked around. a sudden theory came to my head at that moment, "you can never trust the americans, trust the japanese"
i based that theory on my megazord collections, nothing is more sturdy and engaging then the Japanese version of the toy.
so i left that damned borders and headed to kinokuniya.
i squeezed in through the traffic of people, i don't know how many there were cussing me already. but i just had no choice. i was heading for something that was going out of stock real soon in a matter of minutes. alas, i reached Kinokuniya in record time.
i headed to the book locating computer thingamajig. i typed "eclipse" and a whole bunch of other irrelevant Eclipse book came out. and then i refined my search by adding "Stephenie Meyer" to the author section of the search, printed the result, and i took at least 2o steps when i saw this unsuspecting vulture reaching out for the book that i've been needing.
"look, eclipse" she mouthed
"NO!!!!!" my head shouted. no voice came through my mouth. i was numb.
i headed closer, i zoomed there actually.
but then there it was, 6 copies of eclipse.
and the hardcover version of the Breaking Dawn that costs double to what i paid at borders.
and it was in my hand. i happily went to the cashier and paid.
"dangerous right? its flying off the shelves like nobody's business... congrats on the buy. we ARE the lucky few"
fithrin replied to my text.
fithrin had actually booked out in his army smart 4 uniform, flagged a cab and headed there first. he offered me a ride but i'd wanted to relax and change into civilian at home. a risky move, now that i saw the result
________
and then i went to sentosa and bought the bus models i've been intending to buy since 2005. buy 2 get 1 free. and then i met deane at vivocity. chillax. and then headed home.
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