Hello Son, (Wednesday, December 8)
Dad and Mom left the house at 8am this Wednesday morning.
We had a breakfast meeting with Emmanuel. He flew in from the States a few days ago and was staying in a hotel in PJ.
We had a good meet.
Left the hotel at 10:40am.
As we were driving out of the car park basement, Mom turned on the radio, and the words "parking lot" came on RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT.
Mom couldn't help but grin to herself.
Turning to Dad, she remarked with a laugh,
What are the chances of driving out of the parking lot, and simultaneously, hear the word parking lot the second You turn on the radio? :D
Dad smiled.
Precise timing, as always.
Precise timing, as always.
A coinciDANS.
Felt your presence with us, Son. :D
That familiar heart-warming bond. :D
Had mom turned on the radio 2 seconds earlier or later, it would have been some other lyrics that would not have brought any connection.
That was part of the lyrics of BIG YELLOW TAXI
(by Counting Crows) :
"That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot ..."
We were driving to the Viva Center in PJ.
Turning into the lane of shop offices, we saw a whole stretch of vehicles parked all along on the right and left side of us, and that stretch of parked cars extended endlessly in front.
Hmmm ...
No parking?
Vehicles jammed up from one end to another?
Mom smiled to herself.
Dans will be up to something.
Just wait and see.
She knows her son.
He'll do something.
She knows her son.
He'll do something.
The words "parking lot" didn't just come up for - fun.
Did she not say it was a coinciDANS just now???
Mom found herself almost holding her breath, as she wondered what You were gonna do.
Dad continued to drive on, along the lane of the shop offices.
The vehicles parked on the right and left side of us seemed to be a continuous stretch.
Approaching the Viva center ...
Would You believe it but there -
Right there ...
Lo and behold ...
RIGHT IN FRONT of the Viva entrance was an empty parking lot.
Even Dad was surprised.
He was like,
"Perfect spot. Dans' got a nice parking spot for us." :D
Yes, You did, Son.
Thanks for reserving that space for Dad. :D
Dad hopped out, went to pick up some products, and came back to the car.
We were soon on our way to Midvalley Mall.
Justine had called and said she needed Mom to get a revision book to help her prepare for her next exam paper, on Wednesday 15th.
At the same time, since we were going to the Mall, Mom thought of replenishing her foundation (cosmetic product).
She has the habit of changing brands when it comes to cosmetics. Skin care products, she's loyal to one brand, but cosmetics? Her only excuse to flirt and check what's in the market. She did not have a particular brand in mind for the foundation she wanted to get.
Although it was almost 1 pm, You know how Dad dislikes going to the mall at lunch hour ... Dad drove into a parking lot just seconds after driving through the ticketing-machine. :D
It was just right there waiting for us ...
As the parking that was RIGHT IN FRONT of the office entrance just now, this time, the parking was RIGHT IN FRONT of the mall entrance. :D
Of course, of course ...
It was so obvious that it was a coinciDANS. :D
Wink.
Thank you, Son.
We know we can count on You.
So, we went through the Gardens Mall entrance, up the escalator, walked all the way to JUSCO cosmetics department. Ground floor.
There were about 20 different cosmetic counters on that floor.
Mom found herself walking straight to one counter - CLINIQUE.
On hindsight, it was strange that she had stopped at that counter, because the consultant was not even greeting any customers. That counter girl appeared to be busy updating her records on a small table. Mom actually had to call her, and asked for some assistance.
Isn't it funny that Mom didn't just stop by another counter that had a consultant or sales girl that was ever-ready to assist? Or at the very least standing by the products to invite customers to check out their goods? This counter had nobody to attend to customers - and the only sales person who was there, was busy writing and recording data.
It's not like the sales girl was particularly friendly either ...
So what made your mother stop at that counter, she had no idea then ...
Anyway ...
Mom tried on several shades of foundation, before deciding on one.
The consultant wrote an invoice.
Presenting the bill to Mom, the girl said,
"Can You write your name and phone number here?"
Mom took the pen, and as she was writing her name down,
Mom casually asked, "Any promotion ah?"
Mom casually asked, "Any promotion ah?"
The girl said, Yes, there was a promotion for Christmas, but the amount that Mom bought did not qualify her for that promotional pouch with the fragrance.
Oh well ... :(
You mother, after writing her name and phone number down, slid the invoice across the counter, back to the girl.
The girl looked at the slip of paper and exclaimed,
"Eh, sama nama." (same name)
Mom said, surprised, "Same spelling?"
The girl pointed to her name tag.
Oh Wow ...
Oh My ...
What are the chances of walking into a cosmetic department and randomly choose a sales girl for assistance, just to find out later that the sales girl has the same name?
Slim chance ...
Slim chance ...
Anyway ...
It came with some benefits, the same name coinciDANS. :D
Dad went to the cashier to make the payment.
The sales girl handed the package to your mother and said that she had included the promotional pouch and fragrance despite the non-entitlement. :D
How cute is that???
Mom is sure You had something to do with that, Son. :D
That must be an early Christmas present, huh.
Thank You Daniel, that was really cute. You must have whispered to Mom to approach that girl. The sales girl somehow warmed up to your mother after discovering they have something in common. :D
After buying Justine's revision books, we walked back to the car. Just before reaching the escalator going down to the car park, Mom couldn't help but notice a mobile CLINIQUE store right in front of the (Gardens) escalator.
Turning to Dad, Mom said,
"You see the CLINIQUE mobile store? Isn't it funny that I didn't see it just now? It's right in front of the escalator. How could we have missed it when we came up the escalator just now?"
So meant to be.
Goes to show that your mother did not have a particular brand in mind when she bought the foundation. If she did, the CLINIQUE store would have caught her attention, and she would have bought her foundation from this mobile store, and saved what - 200 steps - to and from the other CLINIQUE counter in JUSCO.
Ah, she may not have received those two extra gifts though had she bought her foundation from this mobile counter ...
Your mother was definitely led to the other counter, and in particular, to that sales girl with the same name. :D
