Whacky Birthday To You!

Birthdays are a NIGHTMARE! Actually, I hate any sort of special occasion. If you'd seen me yesterday, you would've known why. The absurdity of the whole scene is just so hilariously comical.

It was one of the gang members' birthday yesterday. I was expecting to hit the malls right after school, at around 1 or 2, to find her a birthday gift. Things didn't go according to plan.
After school, we hit Marina Crescent and had lunch with birthday girl at LeBlanc, where we were joined by an old high-school mate of mine who happened to be a mutual friend of Ruru's. Later, Ruru's brother stopped by and said hello. We ask for the check, and to our surprise it turns out that he had already paid for us when he left. I was planning on paying, to get out of getting birthday girl a present. Pfft. Then I thought we'd hit the mall itself to look for something. But they had different plans. So off we were, back to Kaifan, where me and birthday girl got into my car and made our way to Mishref. I drop her off at her place, and make for the highway, heading for Salmiya. It was around 5:30 by then, and the streets were jam packed.




First on my agenda was Al-Fanar. I hadn't been there in AGES, and didn't know that the parking lot behind the mall was off-limits. I head for the underground parking, and that too is brimming. It took me forever to finally park and begin my search. The problem with this birthday girl, is that I don't have the vaguest idea of what she likes. I mean, we've been friends all through university, but she has the most difficult taste, in the fact that nothing interests her! Besides that, she's filthy rich and doesn't really need anything, and most of the time has everything. I thought of getting her an ipod, but she already has THREE. A nano, a shuffle, and a video. Uffff!!

Anyways, so in Fanar, I head for Swarovski. I know that her beau has already gotten her something from there, so I change my mind about the place and head for La Senza. Just my luck, they had just brought it a new collection and would need an hour to put it all on display. Down I go, and Gucci is closed. Tiffany & Co. was a bit drab, and totally out of my budget anyways. She made things even more difficult for me when I asked her what she would like, and she responded with a "salamtich" :|

There's nothing worse that a 80 kg midget huffing and puffing, running around a mall. As Purgy says, fat chicks walk faster. Now imagine a fat chick walking fast with an oversized Spy bag on her arm, waddling in her too-high high-heeled boots, in a tracksuit, barely managing to keep herself from tripping, with car keys and phone in the other hand, talking to all her buddies trying to get suggestions on what to buy.
Anyway, Fanar was useless, so I head for Marina Mall. The parking lot was jam packed there too, and it took me forever to find a parking space.

Being completely confused by then and in such a hurry and totally forgetting what I was even there for, I think I must've made 3 rounds around Marina Mall. I'm sure I looked like a complete fool. I was looking for La Senza, when I should've been looking for Oysho. I was in just a mad rush and walking around so fast, I was frantic, that I missed the shop every time I whizzed by it. Finally I stopped at the Information desk, and he pointed the shop out to me. What an idiot haha.

I haven't been to Marina Mall since before the summer, and I'd totally forgotten how hectic it gets on weekends. The swarm of women in Oysho was unbearable. I almost got crushed in the mob LOL. After standing there infront of the racks in a daze, unable to decide on what to buy, I finally asked for help. The sales lady suggested I choose something that had more than one piece (of course she would). So I went for pink Hello Kitty pajamas. Drawn-string pants, long-sleeve top, matching robe and slippers, and a vanity bag. It was all so cute. I had DR in mind all along hehehe :">

There's a catch, of course. Yes I did find a gift, I was relieved. But I was pressed for time, and my glee at having finally gotten a gift was short lived. The lady at the cashier infront of me, I don't know what her problem was. She spend almost 15 minutes and I was starting to get irritated. When it was finally my turn to pay, the sales lady lost her scissors, and went searching for them, so that she could cut the price tag off of the clothes. Can you imagine me, standing there, huffing, puffing, complaining, pacing like I was in hospital waiting for someone to give birth, tapping my heels in the most annoying way (yes I was annoying myself). And she has the audacity to ask me what color gift wrap I want!! I barely contained my anger, clenched my teeth, and just gave her an ugly look. LOL that sent her on over-drive. I was out of there after that faster than you can say "DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE ABOUT THE COLOR OF YOUR STUPID GIFT WRAP"?!??!

I went circling the mall again, just once this time, looking for Hallmark. Imagine me with 2 big shopping bags, my oversized Spy bag, my keys and my phone, struggling in my boots. Hahahhaha now I wish someone would have followed me and taped it all. I'm sure I was a sight for sore eyes :P

Finally found Hallmark, looked for a birthday card, found a gift bag, and stood in line. And the same Oysho cashier story repeated itself. By now I was almost in tears, and this lady was giving the sales people a hard time over her credit card that wouldn't go through, and her kids who wanted everything. They kept on piling things on the register, going back and forth, while mommy tried to fix her credit card problem. In the end they just left the stuff and walked out. I wanted to scream :(( Now I was carrying 2 big Oysho shopping bags, and oversized yellow Hallmark bag, my Spy bag, my keys and phone, hopping in my boots and wincing in painB, circling the mall again trying to remember where I'd parked my car and which exit door to take.

Thank God it was only 6:45 by then, and I was back in Mishref by 7. Don't ask me how I did it. I'm too scared to even remember that I can drive like a maniac like that :P So there I was, back home, got into my skirt and blouse while the maid cleaned out the trash in my car, wrote a quick note on the birthday card, went to the ladies room, and hit the street again. I was at birthday girls place by 7:30, picked her up and went to Abdullah Al-Salem Area to pick up Ruru. It was 7:45 by then, and we were in Salhiya at exactly 8:00. Imagine! That's record-breaking time! We were on time at Hashi, for her birthday party. Now I could finally relax hehehehh!

After that everything was smooth-sailing, and it was a blast. We had so much fun. Looking back on yesterday, even with all that crazy running-around, I realize that the whole context was really funny and totally worth it. We had the laugh of a life-time when I told them what I'd been through :p

As all good things must come to an end, its back to slaving away on school work now...