Pamparo in Toronto

So we went to Yorkdale Mall today to do some Christmas shopping. In the mall, parents can rent a stroller that is nicely decorated as a race car for $5. Upon returning the stroller, the machine will dispense $1 back.

Here’s snippet of a conversation I had with this very clever woman on my way to return the stroller I rented.

Woman: Are you returning the cart?

Me: Yes, I am.

Woman: Here’s $1 for it.

Me: Sorry, I have to return it. It’s not fair.

Woman: Here’s the $1. That’s what you will get.

Me: I will just return it and get my $1 from the machine.

Woman: Oh, that’s greedy.

Me: Sorry, I am not greedy. I paid $5 for it and will get the $1 from the machine. You wanted to get it for free by giving me $1 only and getting it back from the machine.

Woman: That’s greedy …

End of conversation.

I started walking towards the machine to get my $1 refund.

Now, can someone answer me please: Is that being greedy?! Doh!!!

We will have a chance of celebrating Christmas and greeting the new year a little earlier than our family & friends here in North America. I will be on my way to the Philippines tonight. My wife and my son are there already about a week ahead of me. And I really, really miss them both. Really, no kidding!

While this is not the first time that I am going back there, this is the first time in 11 years that I will be spending Christmas & New Year in Manila. It’s a little bittersweet for me since my father died early this year. We have been planning this trip since middle of last year and are really looking forward to it. It would have been the first time that my father would have seen his first-ever grandson (my sister has 3 daughters)! Alas, the Lord has other plans. I pray that this trip would be a time to ease my grief a lot more.

Anyway, I hope that you will all have a meaningful Christmas and I pray that you will have a prosperous & blessed new year!