Saturday, May 16, 2009

My Angels and Demons Version

While most of the people here are itching to watch ANGELS and DEMONS on the big screen, I just purchased myself a brand new copy of the book. I plan to read it as soon as I get home, but before that I'm enjoying my afternoon here in Bubba Gump Greenbelt, shaded against the scorching reach of the summer sun with full blast air conditioning, strong wi-fi, ice cold softdrinks and basket-full of fries. Nothing beats looking at people walk outside in the sweltering heat when I have everything I presently need with me. I'm not that sadistic, really.

To be honest, I'm in a good mood right now. I felt nothing could rain on my parade. I went early to "work" to finish my deliverables, had a smashing lunch of Shawarma rice and delectable Chocolate cake at Salcedo park, and by three o clock, I was picked up by Mitch to melt a hot afternoon in Greenbelt, in which I fulfilled my plan to buy a book and upload my pictures. Everything so far is going according to plan and I feel that I'm maximizing my day.

While I was walking at the overly posh Greenbelt Five, I was on my way to Fully Booked to buy an Angels and Demons Book by Dan Brown. I know I am overly late. The film adaptation is now showing in cinemas and I heard tickets were impossible to acquire since Friday night. I didn't mind. I'm never bothered by much book hype anyways; and based from my Da Vinci Code experience, I'd appreciate the movie more if I would read the book.

While appreciating the clandestine location of Fully Booked, which is on my way to Bubba Gump, I grabbed a copy of Angels and Demons and was about to pay for it when I saw the tag price. The book costs PHP 337. Hmm..not that it's a shocking commercial phenomenon. I've longed accepted the fact that fiction books used to cost 190 bucks. 337 php now is considered a fairly acceptable price. Only if I didn't see the copy first in National Book Store Greenbelt.

You see last Friday, while waiting for Mitch in Greenbelt for lunch, I decided to step inside National Bookstore. I browsed through the magazine rack and immediately landed in the fiction area. Before I knew it, I finished reading the first chapter of Angels and Demons and Mitch was calling to meet me up. I quickly glanced at the price and promised that as soon as I reach another bookstore, this book is next on my list.

And that time was today and I found myself in Fully Booked dangling Dan Brown's second best seller. AT that point, looking at the counter then back, I can distinctly remember that the price of the same book with the same cover in National Bookstore didn't reach 300 bucks unless there was a daily increase of fiction bestsellers like how gas prices used to tick up in the world market. The Angel of Spending in me whispered to return the book, exit the store and travel to National Bookstore. The Devil in me wanted to skip the added walking and additional hurdle of going to National Bookstore. Well, the Angel prevailed.

There is seriously something smart about following my instincts in double checking. And it proved me well. Upon reaching National Book Store in Greenbelt, as if eager to prove something to myself, I grabbed the same Angels and Demon's copy, neatly sealed, and looked at the price. 299 Pesos. A matter of almost 40 bucks difference from Fully Booked. Not bad, right? The cover is pretty much the same, both are neatly sealed and National Bookstore is just 1-2 minutes away from Fully Booked. The glaring difference might not be over the top, but thinking about it, 30 bucks will go a long way. And I know that I might sound like a broken record, but I dearly need to save in any way possible.

To cut this story short, I got the book, lined up at the counter and paid for it. I followed my instincts and was able to save almost 40 bucks. Angels won against Demons this time. National Bookstore, you're the bomb.

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