Vacuum

I know all of you are fascinated with our life here in Saudi so I have to share this. When I arrived in Saudi and was given the villa it came furnished…awesome..and that included a vacuum cleaner. However, the vacuum cleaner was terrible…no suction and I could never find the attachment so I could stand up (if I wanted to vacuum I was on my hands and knees..imagine that for 5,000 sq ft). One day the door bell rang and a lady offered to be my maid…and she came with her OWN vacuum. How could I say “No.” She was hired. All went fine until one day I spilled something and needed to vacuum it. Remember the one from the villa is terrible so the vacuuming didn't go well.
So, we went out and bought a vacuum. A nice shiny new one. I told the maid and it made her very happy because now she wouldn't have to lug her vacuum on her bike. We were all in vacuum heaven. That was year ago. Recently the vacuum has sounded strange and it didn’t seem to be picking up as well. I thought I’d look it over. I did. I unscrewed screws, took off things here and there and made nice piles so I could put everything back together. I ended up with extra screws and could not figure out how to get the plastic guard back on. The vacuum turned on…it picked things up..it sounded much better…and then I finished the hallway and the vacuum sounded terrible and stopped picking up. Great…now I have to go and get another vacuum.
I saw the vacuum I wanted…the angels were singing…music was everywhere....I was in a trance. I wanted the Hoover Wind Tunnel + Cyclonic! Then the announcement..the place was closing for prayer. There was no time to look this vacuum over. That night I dreamed of vacuuming with the Hoover. I couldn’t wait to go back and check it out.
I went back to the store..in plenty of time to inspect it. It was more beautiful than I remembered. I was ready to buy it until I noticed it was 220!! I need 110. I searched for a sales guy and found one. Surely they had one that was 110. Insahallah…yes inshallah. He goes to the back. No. No..how could that be? I left dejected.
I went to another store and saw the Hoover. It was 220! I was ready to settle on a lesser vacuum. The sales clerk saw me. He assured me that there was a new Hoover in a box in the back with 110 voltage. I was smiling and told him to go get it I was in buying mood. He comes out of the storeroom empty handed…all the Hoovers were 220. The manager comes over. He makes a call. One of the stores on exit 23 has a 110…floor model. He will have it delivered and will call me. Excellent. BUT the manager tells me to go check out one other store. So I do (BTW he never did call me).
I get to the 3rd store during prayer…but it’s the last prayer of the day. I wait. I call Dad. I call Aunt Charlotte (I use up all my credit and only have like 5 cents left after talking to her and Uncle Bill..but it was worth it). Finally the doors open. I find it…the Hoover Wind Tunnel + Cyclonic and it’s 110!! YES! The clerk comes over. He is sure there’s one in the box. He comes out empty handed. The floor model is a little scuffed and it’s missing a wand but I need it because the maid is coming the next day. I buy the floor model at FULL price with the promise that I can bring it back within 7 days and exchange it for a boxed vacuum. Off I go. I turn it on at home…it hums and picks up dirt…I fall asleep with happy dreams.
I go back in 6 days to return this one for a boxed one. At first they don’t want to give me one. I tell them a story about the maid not liking it…she thinks it doesn’t pick up dirt very well (you always have to have a reason over here…for everything..you can’t just return something…there has to be a reason). They plug it in and vacuum with it. They tell me they will have it serviced. I’m feeling dejected because I want one in a box (is that so hard to understand). Finally I speak to the manager and tell him “I was told I could exchange this one for one in the box.”
Him..”But you bought this one without the box.”
Me..”Yes with the understanding that I would get one in a box.”
Him..”What is wrong with this one?”
Me..”It’s not in a box and it’s missing a wand and I paid full price.”
Him..”Who told you that you could bring this back and get one in a box? A Filipino?”
Me..”Yes.” I wasn’t backing down. I was taking a stand on this. I was ready to give a speech about how in America when you’re promised a vacuum in a box you get one in a box.
Well prayer time is about to start. He finishes up some paperwork and tells me to come back tomorrow same time and there will be a new vacuum for me. I come back the next day…there it is…still not in a box..still no manual..but it has all the wands and looks cleaner and newer. I take it home. I love it.
It’s an adventure living here and the next adventure is right around the corner.