I Covet a Tag

I need a new watch. The clasp on my current watch has gotten loose, and thus the watch always comes off. Last week, it dropped twice in front of the same colleague. At first she thought it was an accident, so she helped me pick up my watch. The second time it happened, she chuckled, amused that my watch kept dropping in front of her. I was rather embarrassed.

I need a new watch, and I want to buy a Tag.

I went into Hung Cheong Jewellery & Watch at Sarawak Plaza in Kuching with Aunt. I just wanted to browse around. But Aunt thought I was crazy to be wanting to buy such an expensive watch. I wanted to browse at the Hung Cheong branch at The Spring, but there were seldom any customers in the shop, and I was reluctant to go in, especially when I was not ready to buy.

I told my Mom I wanted to buy an expensive watch. In a bid to discourage me, she said I was so rough and careless that it would damage in no time. So, I told brother this afternoon how much I wanted to buy a Tag, and I'm just so glad he did not think I was a lunatic.

I still covet it so bad that I went to Swiss Time twice last week. The first time I was there, I thought I was invisible. I was ignored. Ok, I understood, the lady was busy entertaining a customer who was also trying a Tag. She sounded like a Chinese national to me. So, there I was browsing on my own before making my exit. On Sunday, I was there again with my friend. She was another one who thought I was crazy enough to be willing to spend so much on a watch.

On Sunday, the lady at the shop brought out some watches, and I got to try them on. I was hooked! The price? RM3,584. Too bad, the lady had this indifferent attitude, so I did not feel like buying from her. Swiss Time is the authorized dealer for Tag Heuer here. There is no competition at all. Either you buy it from them, or you can deprive yourself of the Tag.

You see, people like me did not buy expensive watches. My salary comes to less than RM4,000 a month. And I needed to pay off my loans, my rent, my insurance, my bills and what not. I need to eat, and I need pocket money. This month, another few hundred goes to renewing my car insurance. Air fares cost me at least RM2,000 a year. In addition, I need to save up for an occasional splurge - like a vacation. Heck, last month RM3,000 went to buying a netbook and a camera.

So why then did I want a Tag? Well, I'm no horologist. I just thought it looks good - sporty and elegant at the same time. I thought it suits young working people like myself ;p, not that I'm that young anymore.

This afternoon, I saw a copy of a comic book at a student's table. So I picked it up and browsed. Came along one boy, E*****, who's only in Form 1.

E : Teacher, I thought old people did not read comics.
Me : Me? Old? Am I that old, E*****.
E : *appeared hesitant and did not know what to say*
Me : I'm not that old, you know.
E : Average larrrrr .....

Ok, so I appeared old to my thirteen-year-old student, but that did not stop me from coveting my Tag. Since I do not want to buy it from the snob of a lady at the watch dealers' here, I'll just have to wait till my next trip to Kuching or KL.