Unpleasant moment

Today was supposed to be a pleasant day for me, partly because it is a Friday and I was going to my favorite place, the bookshop.

However, I was fused with anger when I left the bookshop. This bookshop that I often went provides selling and renting service for all types of books, mainly English and Chinese books. I was looking for a specific title of this Chinese novel and already prepared to order it if the book was not available in the store.

However, when I entered the bookshop, I saw the staff who was happily talking to one of the customer, that was an old customer, I saw her previously, in the store too. The staff was looking at me with those weird look and when I asked for the availability of the book, she went to check for me but it was rented out. So I roamed around the shop for a while and along, she was still talking happily with the customer. Then I approached her at the counter again, and asked, or commented, " Normally, the duration for rented book to be returned is one month right?" The reason why I asked her that was because, I was thinking of asking her to reserve it for me, when the book is returned. So, she replied, " I don't know" and full stop. Suddenly, I don't see the point of talking to her anymore, especially facing that stonily face of hers, with the customer staring at me too. Apparently, she seemed urgent to resume the conversation with her "old" friend so I just left.

It is good to have interaction with your customers but I think, anyone who steps into a shop, he or she is a customer, regardless of first comers or old customers. I was expecting her to say, " yes, normally the duration is for one month but some people will return the books late: and offered to keep the books for me or asked if I want to order it. No, she was like one word, one word answer. This was different when I was in Japan.

I will never go back to this bookstore again which is located in United Square, near Novena MRT station and the bookstore name is " SAN BOOKSHOP".

I have decided to order my novels directly from Taiwan, although I have to wait for a few months before I can grab the copy but I think is worth it.