My tryst with a Phoren branded gift

When I sit and relax, I am fidgety. I have to do something to justify my existence. Justify to whom, I don't know. I seem to be in a crib mode if not on self inquiry.
The husband s birthday just went by. I buy him some clothes year after year and maybe a wallet sometime. No creativity is involved there. Earlier when he came home on his birthday, The Christmas tree would be put up. The wine chilling and the house all festive and decorated. After two children, I have not managed much on the house decor front.
This year, I thought I have to atleast improve on the gift front. I decided to up my stakes and buy a MB pen for him. Now for some of us,these kind of purchases would be a regular affair. For me it was a very big deal. It was not that I wanted an expensive pen, I was clear I wanted a MB pen. I don't even know what are the expensive pen brands. I planned and plotted about how to go about it without him knowing. Being a Gujju , I also wanted a discount on the price. The purchase would not be satisfactory if the discount was not arranged. I used to know someone in one of their stores. the lady who came home to collect and alter our clothes, her son worked in the store. So courtesy her, I organized discounts for a couple of my friends. But for me, it was still a big deal to buy an MB.
I came to know that the boy had left the store. The store manager was very stern and curt. He said all policies and people have changed and they will not give any discounts. he went ahead to say we give discounts to corporates who have made a purchase of 25 lacs in one year. This was all on the phone. He agreed to keep a pen aside for me, I had asked for the cheapest one and he said only one piece was there.

I got my discount arranged thru some other source. I walked into the shop with my source and a friend. I saw a pen, Liked it and wrote with it. It was a bit heavy and I didn't mind it. My fairer friend got all the attention from the salesman. I kept thinking they have so many pens in my budget, why did they say they didn't. I was ready to tell him, give me this pen. Then , my friend pointed out that the price tag had one more zero which I had failed to notice.
We moved to the lower zone of pens which had gold n platinum polish. We had come down from diamond ones because of that zero in the price tag. We tried all the pens on the suit pocket of the source. Took his recommendation and splurged a bit.
At billing, he asked for the discount. It was given instantly. The salesman was packing the one on display. I asked for a new one. The reply was "All are new." I asked for an unused new one as people were allowed to write with the pens on display. Finally the nod came from the manager cum cashier and I got a new piece. When I asked for the cheap pen kept aside, the Manager realized I was the person who had called and begged for the discount. He asked me if I had called. I just smiled and walked away before he snatched the discount back.
I was preening like a peacock after I had bought the gift. It felt like a coup. The credit card company immediately sent an sms to my husband as a big amount was swiped. They were kind enough not to sms the name of the shop. Gosh! These over jealous credit card companies!
Today s day when all companies are striving to achieve more business, why would these foreign brands in our own country with our Indians working, make another Indian feel like dirt? The reason these Foreign brands are coming to India is because this is a lucrative market for them. Why not treat the Customers better?