Furniture Shopping - Part 2 (by Sylph)

I am certain you can re-call the two instructions I received before my furniture extravaganza in the Sahara, on my second day in Nigeria, which so happened to be October 28th. To my great dismay only today, December 11th did the furniture store feel it necessary to come and replace the damn damaged bed that they delivered before my arrival and this delivery did not come by without a fuss.

The instructions given to me on that morning, clearly stated that during the course of the week the furniture store will, I repeat, WILL replace the bedroom set, as the one delivered was not the set paid for. Apparently, it was the set on display and was visibly damaged. Okay, simply enough..... So why seven weeks later this damn thing is still sitting up in the bedroom, occupying space and even worst collecting dust? Why wasn't I hearing anything positive from the furniture store? I made it my business to go over to the store to enquire as to what was the keep back and on each visit the excuses became more and more ridiculous and no true attempt was being made to replace the bedroom set. So by now my patience is wearing thin, because not only is the bed damaged, but the mattress delivered was not only damn hard and uncomfortable, it was not the one we purchased and was valued much less. So I am forced to sleep on a damn hard, uncomfortable bed and only receiving excuses, upon excuses, with no end in sight.

I have had enough.....

So I storm across to the store, which is walking distance from the office and inform the sales lady that if the bed cannot be replaced we would like a refund and I was damn serious about that. A day later, (Thursday) the young lady finds her way to my office to inform that after being spoken too so 'sternly', she had to bring the matter to the attention of her manager and calls were made to the manufacturer to ensure that the bed will be delivered, as they (the store) did not want to lose the High Commission's business. STEUPS.... She goes on to say that the new bed will be delivered on the following Tuesday.

Needless to say that Tuesday came and went and no bed was delivered. NONE... Absolutely NONE..... On Wednesday, while making groceries in the said store, minding my business, trying not even to think about the bed, I run into the sales lady, who quickly whisks me away to her manager to apologise and reassure me that the bed had indeed arrive and will be delivered the next day (Thursday). Of course, both Thursday and Friday went by and no bed was in sight. No bed I say, NONE...... So I am forced to sleep on my hard damaged bed.

One week later, on December 10th the phone rings and who can be on the other line, but the good old sales lady who is forever promising. This time around she informs that they are ready to deliver...... Deliver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What???????????? I must be dreaming.......

Yes, they are ready to deliver my long lost bed, however we are away on business and no one, I repeat NO ONE, is available to receive the delivery. Can you believe it. Its like a never ending nightmare. So there I sat and wonder, will I ever get the opportunity to lay eyes on it, or even better lay my body on my long lost bed. Oh, when will we get the opportunity to bond, for me to lay between the sheets and cuddle with my blanket and pillows and rub my body against the mattress, which I oh so hope is softer than the one I have now, because times are nothing short of HARD and ROUGH, on the current one that I am sleeping on. Oh when will we be together?????

Point to note; apparently in Nigeria they like to sleep on a hard mattress. Not firm, but hard.... Brick hard. I have never encountered such hard mattresses in my life. Never..... I thought the mattress in the apartment was hard, however last weekend we travelled out of state and stayed at a hotel, which had the hardest mattress I have ever slept on. And I make no joke. It was like lying on a brick. The shit was brick hard. Needless to say, the first night I laid awake for a very long time, trying to imagine a soft spot on the bed and make myself comfortable enough to close my eyes and fall asleep. The night was rough.....

So we missed the first attempt to actually deliver the bed and there I am praying that this was a genuine attempt and eagerly requesting for the delivery to be made on the following day.

December 11th.... Now I must say that today was an extremely fulfilling day. A day to remember, because quite a number of unresolved issues, somehow managed to be resolved today. For instance, since I have arrived in Nigeria I have not been issued with an official cell phone or number and like magic, that was resolved. A past request made to upgrade our internet service to wireless, and walla that too is being resolved. (Hopefully by tomorrow, I will be wireless.) A telephone technician that has been in and out the building for weeks, this afternoon informed that our landlines should be working (I am yet to test the lines, but I am very hopeful. The landlines at the Mission has not worked for a very long time, to long to remember). The heavens must have smiled on us today. For certain, christmas is around the corner. And the topping on this cherry pie, is the sales lady actually calling to say that my new bedroom set is on its way. Whoopppyy, today is my special day. Santa has come early in December. My new bed is on its way.....

Yes, the new bedroom set was delivered this afternoon and I was very pleased with the style and design of the set. It was a vast improvement from the one before and the mattress even seems to be softer, cannot wait to get between the sheets.

So the new bed was delivered, the old one taken away (good riddance), now its time to put some sheets on the bed, because this has been the long awaited night. But as my mother and I attempt to make the bed, we realise a slight peculiarity. The mattress refuses to fit. It seems to be slightly bigger than the bed!!!!! Now, come on that cannot be...... Who delivers a bed with the wrong size mattress? WHO????? Let me tell you - Furniture stores in Nigeria, that's who...............

We twist and turn that damn mattress round and round until I eventually give up and left her with the damn bed. I have had enough..... Who would have thought it possible.

To be honest, tonight I will be sleeping with my legs slightly elevated and that is not because I have a back or a swelling problem. Its because the mattress cannot fit into the bed frame and is lying on-top the edge of the bed. And I can assure you that this may never change, because they way of business in this country is like no other and the procedures and stress I might now have to endure might outlast my stay in Nigeria.

So I am off to sleep in my new slightly elevated bed. Stay tuned for more furniture shopping in the Sahara.