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The Adventure of Getting a New TV Set |
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Our faithful old television set had finally broken down. It started with the
sound fading off, but eventually, the screen flickered and died off. Despite the
efforts of my DIY expert brother, we couldn't restore it to working condition.
Our family had so many fond memories associated with the TV set, including
watching numerous drama series and National Day Parades together. We were
determined to get a new one of the same brand and size, but we faced a problem -
dad had lost his job and wanted a smaller set. After surveying the shops, my
sister and I sadly concluded that we could not afford a set with our original
size and brand for less than RM1,000.
However, my brother brought us exciting news about Summit Parade's tenth
anniversary special offers on television sets at half the original price. The
set was of the same brand and size as our old one. The catch was that we had to
act fast, as the offer was only available on Saturday at a specific shop, which
would be announced by the deejay at 1.30 p.m.
To ensure that we secured the offer, I reconnoitred the shopping center and made
a mental map of the nearest route to each electrical store. On Saturday morning,
I woke up to a call from my classmate informing me of an athletic practice that
afternoon. Just when I thought I had to give up securing the offer, another call
came in, stating that the practice was cancelled due to the coach's illness.
I decided to go early and queue up for the TV set, as I knew the crowd would be
massive. When I arrived at the deejay stand, the crowd was already over a
hundred people and growing. However, a commotion at 1.20 p.m. about free goodie
bags on the second floor distracted half the crowd, and I took advantage of the
situation. When the crowds had thinned out, I heard the deejay utter the words I
was waiting for, and I dashed to the store on the third floor.
I ran up the stairs, panting and exhausted, with bewildered shoppers making way
for me. When I reached the store entrance, the manager and sales staff greeted
me with loud applause, and I secured the set. My family was jubilant that night,
watching our favorite programs again, and I saw my dad's face light up after a
month of unemployment. All the preparation was worth it just to see him smile. |
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