Swerti

The afternoon of July 2, a Saturday, saw me driving back to Makati, when my cell phone sent out a chirp, telling me I have a text message. Yes, I know, I know. I shouldn’t have, but I did pick it up and checked. It’s my good friend, ILuzionada, telling me that my name is posted at Shopwise near her place, indicating that I won in their Back-To-School Promo.

She can’t be mistaken. As far as I know. I do not share my full name with anyone. It’s all mine.

I couldn’t contain my delight at the news. I would let go of the wheel to clap my hands, until my excess excitement ran out.

When I got home, I was half expecting a letter from Shopwise. Told you. Excitement.

The following day, around lunch time, I received a call. It’s confirmed. I did win. And they asked me to make sure that I have the winning raffle coupon or prepare an affidavit if I lost it. They also confirmed my name and address. And then they told me to wait for the registered mail to arrive so I can claim my prize.

Come Monday, I was itching to go to an Apple store to check on the prize: A Mac Book Pro.

(You may find this unbelievable, but since I was so used to not winning in raffles that I don’t really bother to get the details of the prizes anymore. I just join mostly because being in Marketing, I am painfully aware of the efforts that go behind putting any promo together. It’s blood, sweat, tears, even your limbs and intestines, sometimes.

Since I can remember, I only win at raffles when everyone is required to win. And even then, I usually get the smallest prize.)

For the whole week, I would grin to no one in particular, still giddy at the idea of winning, of owning a Mac again after so many years! I would tell Jeremiah, “I have a secret” but I wouldn’t say what it was.

Then finally, Friday night. I got home from a really nice dinner with Jeremiah’s and my newly-wed friends, N and J. So nice in fact, that it was really already Saturday morning when I got home. Then that’s when I saw it. The Letter. I quickly picked it up and sprinted to my room.

I was beside myself so I forced myself to slow down. Put down your bags first. Change clothes first. Turn on the TV first. That’s when I reached for my letter opener. (Yes, I use a letter opener. And if there’s none within reach, I use scissors. Sorry. I don’t tear out envelopes.)

Congratulations!

You have won one (1) unit Mac Book 13 inch Laptop in our recently concluded Back to School raffle Promotion which ran from May 20 to June 19, 2011.

To claim your prize, please contact xxxxxxxxx at 8996944 or 8978501 from Mondays thru Sundays, 10am to 5pm and look for xxxxxxx upon receipt of this notification to confirm schedule of awarding.

Please bring the following:
a. Two (2) Valid ID with picture (ex SSS, Driver’s License, Company, School, etc.)
b. Proof of notification (this registered mail)
c. Winning raffle coupon # 137139.

If you are not able to come, kindly send a representative with all the requirements mentioned above plus one (1) Representative’s Identification Card with picture and a letter of authorization from the winner.

Okay. Before I go on, let me tell a few more things I find amazing about this whole thing. One, the winning raffle coupon is the last of the six I got. And second, I didn’t even know that Shopwise had a promo. I didn’t do my grocery shopping there with the specific purpose of joining the raffle.

The cashier just told me upon handing my receipt that I’m entitled to raffle coupons. So I went to where the promo station is. The girl there happily informed me that it’s the last day of the promo (third), and that I’m entitled to six coupons. Plus 4 trivia questions in their other promo. The baggage boy encouraged me to join, saying, sige na, ma’am. Baka ikaw ang manalo.

So I delayed my departure by a few minutes, filing in the coupon and answering the trivia questions at the same time. I got 3 out of 4 and the girl gave me P60 as my winnings in the question. And after I have put the coupons in the box, I walked back to the car. The baggage boy was trailing me behind. I gave him the P60 I won from the trivia contest and was soon on my way home, not really thinking about what happened.

And then this.

When I woke up in the morning, I called the supplied phone number, identified myself and advised them that I will be picking up my prize later that day. Which I did.

When I got home in the evening, I spent quite a few minutes just staring at the box, thinking, maybe I shouldn’t open it. There might be a mistake. Someone else won it and then they will make me pay for opening the package. And then I thought I should read the instructions first so I will not break the thing even before I get really started. I started to open it but thought twice so I contented myself with the manual.

But the next day, there is no denying that the whole deal is real. That’s when I opened it and started to use it right away. One of my nephews patiently showed me what to do.

And that’s that.

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The letter


The package


Opened it for the first time.


Out of the Box


Open Sesame


Keyboard like no other


After initial personalization