I like going to the market near our HDB. There are two grocery stores there -- Fair Price and Prime. There is also a hawker center, a homeware store, and a fruit and vegetable stall where you can haggle with the owner. But what I particularly like is when they sell clothes at the market's center, which they don't do everyday. It reminds me of the market back home in Pinas, where you can buy underthings and children's clothes of good quality for a cheap price.
So this one particular day, I had just finished buying fish from Prime. With still some money left and the clothing market on schedule that day AND my toddler asleep on his stroller, I was looking forward to peacefully 'shop' around for a dress. One dress caught my eye. It reminded me of my favorite maternity dress which someone stole when I left it to hang overnight outside our apartment.
On my 3rd month of pregnancy here. I so love the paisley design of this dress. Somebody must have liked it, too because it got stolen.
So imagine my delight when I saw a similar dress which was only 8 SGD (P240). The stolen one cost me 10 SGD (P300). I immediately bought the dress.
Yes, this dress! Never mind our kissykissy faces and my husband's awkward pose.
The flower design is *heart*
Anyhoo, after buying the lovely clothing, I spied another maternity dress which could double as a breastfeeding dress. It was from the same makeshift stall, but for 15 SGD, I thought it was quite expensive. I stayed around and asked the owner for other colors (just to buy time) - the dress came in purple, pink, brown, and others which I can no longer recall now. I thought the brown one would especially go well with my brown sandals, but alas, my money was not enough. I had 10 dollars, so I checked my coin purse for some change which I prayerfully counted would at least reach 5 dollars. But I only had 3 dollars. I went back to the owner and haggled. I told her I bought one dress from her already and will buy another one, so could I at least be given a discount? She said, "Alright. 14 dollars for you."
I was still 1 dollar short. But I wasn't just about to give up. I looked around for some Pinays or for some good Samaritan who might want to take pity on a pregnant woman and lend her a dollar. But it was almost 12 noon that time, and market goers were thinning in number. I thought of going home instead, get the blasted dollar, and go back to the market which will take me about 10 minutes if I do my fast pregnant waddle.
Instead of going home, I decided to sit by the corner and rummaged around my bag hoping that I could at least find a dollar tucked somewhere in its several pockets. But there was none. So again, I counted my coins by dumping the whole contents of my wallet on the skirt of my dress. I managed to scrimp 13.70 dollars only. The heat and the agitation to hopefully clinch 14 dollars made me sweat profusely. There I was on my 6th month of pregnancy, counting pennies on a market's corner with a sleeping toddler that after awhile it dawned on me that I probably looked comically desperate. I thought that maybe it's best that I should just go home and get that sorry dollar. So, I went back to the owner and asked what time she'll be closing up (they don't stay in the afternoon). She was with a customer, so she didn't answer me right away. I asked loudly the second time, and she turned around to ask me, "How much do you have?" I replied that I only have 13.70 dollars. She immediately wrapped the dress and told me, "Ok, I'll give this to you, but next time, buy from me again." I felt like hugging her. I believe now that she took pity on the poor pregnant housewife who was at the same time saddled with a toddler (waking up from dreamland by that time) -- ME! When I gave her my 13.70 dollars which all came in coins, she exclaimed, "Whoah! So many 50 cents!" I grabbed the dress right away before she could change her mind. My husband told me later that most Singaporeans find 50 cents as useless already, thus the reaction from the owner.
When I got home, I tried on the dress (I couldn't try it in the market because there was no changing room) and realized that I didn't like the brown color. The knitted flowers on the chest actually looks like I have several nipples. I think my take-away from the experience is that I shouldn't get too desperate over something. I actually found a similar dress displayed in one of the boutiques in Iloilo (but I didn't dare go inside to ask for the price anymore). I eventually wore the dress for my maternity photoshoot. I may not like the color, but I think it's still worth every scrimped penny.
So... that's the story behind that dress. My husband and I had a good laugh over that experience.
And here are some of pictures from my maternity photoshoot featuring none other than the 13.70 SGD dress!
Photos were taken by Steve Francis Quiatchion.
#bigbroThirdy
Our family has so many things to look forward to this year. Dear reader, here's hoping that you'll also have many things to look forward to this 2018! Cheers from angmaestra.blogspot.com
