My mother finally relented (after 6 months of verbal persuasion filled in with a couple of 'bargaining chips' and nasty scowls) into letting me purchase a new, functional desktop that DOES NOT lag with every click of the mouse.
Don't get me wrong, I love my computer - my beloved companion - but its temperamental disposition was getting way too serious for a dependent user like me to handle. It once hibernated for weeks. I was in a frantic shriek. My parents frustrated and my sister annoyed. My sister said it was partly because of my constant nagging that eventually made my mom relent just so she could shut me up.
And I suspect that this old' computer of mine is getting on with the years. If it had a mouth it would most probably curse me into oblivion for I spare no thought in exhausting its Graphic Card and 1 GB ram. Sorry darling, but mommy has no choice. She desperately needs a good, high compact Graphic card and you simply wouldn't let her download a few necessary converters and programs. Your mother needs to make a video and your hard drive is barely functioning.
While I mop over the lost of my very ancient computer, my sister very sarcastically intoned, "I think this computer can rejoice liao."
"Excuse me?! Mom is gonna donate it to the old newspaper collector. How on earth can this poor thing rejoice in the course of being detached from me, its dear user?!" I cried, mortified. "Poor old computer. I'm gonna miss you dearly although you like throwing tantrums at me."
My sister twitched her nose, "Oh, no worries. You won't be missing it. The old newspaper collector wouldn't want it even if mom paid him a million bucks."
My sister then proceeded to complain to my mother about the blatant inequality in treatment. "Mommy, you buy for Rain a new computer then what about me? Our TV is barely working!"
My mother scuffed her nose into an ugly scowl, but you could see she was starting to reconsider. She gave my father a look and then at the brilliant, new glossy LCD screens that threatened to blind us with their shiny lacquered polish.
"How about getting this 32 inches TV? It's the latest model. Panel and finishes from Japan," claimed the salesperson, all fake smiles and a happy working-with-you face. "It comes with a $100 NTUC voucher."
"Not fair leh! You always dote on the younger one lor." continued my sister.
"I don't mind. Parts of the TV comes from Japan, anyway." said I, clearly beguiled by the word 'Japan'.
We bought that TV.
~~~
My family thought it was a pretty good bargain. The total was 3k plus for a 32 inches TV and a lovely desktop (which is soon to be abused by me. Yay! I can finally make my Anime Music Videos!) It was economical of course.
But in my auntie Priscilla's world, being economical or money wise doesn't fit into her dictionary. Thrifty doesn't even come close. If you look up the word 'Spendthrift' in the English Thesaurus, you'll see my aunt's picture next to it.
We met her at a mall to purchase Uncle Henry's birthday present - a jade pendant. She had lingered a moment too long in that shop for no sooner than a minute, the shopkeepers had swarm towards her like moths to a flame.
"Look at this laughing jade Buddha, the color is oh so perfect! You don't get this anywhere!" fluttered the shop auntie in her China accent.
Hell yeah, I can get that green thingy at any loitering shops for 10 bucks.
My auntie, being a little too foolish for her age, was beguiled. She stared at the jade pendant, entranced. While my sister and I exchanged bored looks. My mother pursued her lips. My younger auntie Karen shocked. I think the shopkeeper was silently rejoicing at having such a big catch.
"Show me others!" exclaimed my aunt Priscilla.
An hour later, she had purchased from the Jade shop items worth a total of $4000 (lets forget about the GST).
"DO COME AGAIN!" shouted the shopkeepers, bowing and bowing with more smiles of superficiality. My sister and I exchanged disgusted looks. My mother and younger auntie Karen were horribly mortified. I wanted to say something, but my mother kept me silent. It was her money after all.
"So, let me ask this again: Aunt Pris bought a tiny jade pendent and 3 rocks for $4000?" I raised my eyebrows.
"The rocks had little jade ornaments in them." My sister said. "They're supposed to have good fengshui."
"Yeah, but they're still rocks right?" I peered into the carrier bags. Indeed, they look nothing different from the normal rocks you kick at the sentosa beach.
My auntie, being the spendthrift she was, was simply pleased at her purchase. "Good fengshui ma!" she said, noticing the odd stares from my sister and I, and pale faces from her two sisters. "It's considered pretty cheap. I think I've made a pretty good bargain."
"For 3 rocks and a tiny piece of Jade that's smaller than the size of your palm but costs more than a TV and a desktop? Yeah, you've made a pretty good bargain alright."