…:::finetuned:::…

the following conversation took place in russian one fine afternoon in the vicinity of obi’s kassa ( so basically you can imagine the words that were actually used which are way outside your vocab but you can pretty much guess what they are trying to say - gobbledegook )..

a : madam, could you step aside this way please, we would like to have a word with you.

b : excuse me?

a : could we please have a word with you in our office room, this way please. follow me.

b : what is this about ?

a and b enter a room, roughly 3×3. the only furniture in the room are a table and 3 chairs.

a : please have a seat. one of our female workers will attend to you shortly.

b : what for ? (silence)

enter female worker, a pleasant-looking blondie.

c : greetings. do you speak russian?

b : a little.

c : to put it simply, according to our surveillance system, you were at the door knobs and locks department of our store where you purchased this lock. what we are interested in is the other object that we noticed you having in your other hand. could you please explain yourself?

b : (smiles and produces a filthy malfunctioning door lock out of the bag) it’s an old lock. i brought it along because i didnt know what size to get. that’s all. there’s nothing else.

c : (looks at the filthy lock closely - there are paint marks and the knob is faulty). well madam,we are absolutely sorry. but you should have told one of our security guards that you were planning to bring this in.

b : (conversation running through in mind) really lady. you would think that after spending all that money coming to russia to study and all, i would nick a door lock at your store. seriously? take a look at my purse and you would know that i could purchase twenty locks if i wanted to. take a look inside my bag and you would know that i’m a medical student at your local academy and by golly i wouldnt dare to do something as stupid as this to land myself in jail or get fined. hello, i am leaving for home next week, do you really think i would try to pull a stunt like this?? my flight ticket probably covers your expenses for 6 months!! even if i did want to nick something, it might have been a LV bag or a perfume by chanel but it definitely will not be a door lock!! geez!! it’s becos the academy wont buy me another lock that i have to get one myself.

instead..

b : really? i didnt know. i just brought it along to compare sizes. i didnt know. sorry.

c : we’re sorry too but in the future, please remember to show it to us beforehand.

b : ok. i didnt know. (thinks that next time the pipe breaks, i’ll drag it into the store then)

now the above situation is quite gruesome(!) by its own, but in russian and being alone, it was terrible!!!

see what i can get into when i go out alone??

sheez..

though it was my fault..

all the while, my intuition was telling me that i am gonna get into trouble for this..but i still carried on cos i wasnt doing anything wrong..

but you know what??

that means that you are being watched very closely all the time..picking your nose by that rack, someone is watching..drooping something on the aisle, somebody’s watching and it aint god..

I AM SOOOOOOOOO EMBARASSED!!

SUNGGUH MEMALUKAN!!!!!!!!!

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!

that’s my first brush with authority in russia..no wait..second..the first was the time when we were all held up at the airport, suspected of having fake passports. who wouldnt, growing up in all white russia, it’s simply unimaginable that 3 indians, a malay and a chinese could have passports issued by the same country!!!

now the second, held up for suspicion of shoplifting. a door lock. costing 100 rubles.

of all things!!!!

SSSSSHHHHHTTTTOOOOOPPPPPIIIIIDDDDD!!!!!

serves me right. i should have just listened to my intuition!!!

and i should probably grow some common sense..i seem to be lacking it in some decisions that i make these days!!!