oh, for goodness sake!

i called to ask if she has a canvas in a particular odd size. after all, i have checked out the last few shops by foot, or almost by foot, this is after all malaysia, and it's getting to be tedious.

oh, we have so many types here, you will have to come look for yourself, she replied.

*rolls eyes*, which she can't see :-p. you can't have a look and call me back when you are free? i have been to many shops and they did not carry those sizes. i don't want to travel all the way there for nothing.

have you been to our shop?

is it the latest addition to our country's tourist attraction?!? i don't want to unless you have what i am looking for. duh! i didn't say that as you can see because it is not in bold but how fun life would be if you can say what you wanted to deep down in your heart. she will probably slam the phone down on me but it would still have been fun. too many years of proper upbringing is so constraining, and boring. *more eyes rolling*

no, i haven't. see how lame the answer will be if we don't speak our mind?

you really have to come. we have so much art supplies and canvases of all sizes.

you can't have a look and tell me? i'm pleading here, give me a break, won't you? you call this service?

no, i'm really busy. ya, i can hear the conversations in the background. you really have to get back to your chatting. *more more eyes rolling*

fineeeeeeee. so i made the trip there. all the wayyyyy there. her shop turned out to be half art supply and half copying-slash-photo-developing place. half! it wasn't even a proper art material shop. i could punch her. i seriously could. in the end all i did was gave her a pat on the shoulder. wished it was harder, for giving me the round around, but... (read the part above about all the years of proper upbringing). several hard smacks even, like trying to help her dislodge an imaginary bone stuck in her throat. that would have been satisfying. violent? you'll have to be in my shoes.

the conversation that followed wasn't really important because it was more of me not speaking my mind. i would have asked after her well being but i'm not inclined to curse. i would have done some of that eyes rolling, in her face!, but i'm too nice. please kindly note, if you only carry a few measly art item in the back of your photocopying shop, do not, i repeat, do not call yourself an art shop. my corner indian newspaper vendor carries more art items than you do.

i am too nice for my own good.