kung hei fat lechon!

Auuurghhh...So this is how I spent my chinese new year - I went from shop to shop to shop to shop looking for an ignision switch set. Started by walking to Rapide from my gym. After making a few phone calls they said it would cost me P9,500. + P1,500 for home service since I couldn't start the car to bring it there. Plus another P8,000 to change all the door locks since the new key wouldn't fit the door locks ...I didn't tell them my old one didn't either coz both door locks had gotten ruined many years ago when I left car keys in the car on two separate occasions and I had to force open the doors by having the locks picked and ruined as a result...anyway..I digress...Then I walked to Oasis shell, taking care to avoid the mechanic I fought with (Melchor) and went straight to Roger. After many many phone calls, they said NONE of their suppliers carried that part -- an ignition switch for a Toyota Corolla 1990. So they told me to try Banawe and they'll just send someone to install for P350.. But I took a cab to Toyota Shaw instead where security guard Escalante greeted me very warmly - he is so sweet, we see each other every morning coz that's my route going to work, and he stops all traffic just so my car can pass. For Xmas I gave him 2 dozen oranges. Anyway, at Toyota I was told that the part I was looking for wasn't in stock...AND upon checking with the Toyota plant -- it wasn't in stock there either!! They said NOBODY ever orders that part anymore, and so one of them directed me to those rinky dink auto parts shops down Shaw Blvd...some hole in the wall called Fernando's...Took a jeep to Fernando's, who didn't have it either..he checked with their other branch in Boni...None as well..finally, coz he could see I was about to cry, he shoved his album of calling cards infront of me and told me to call up several car parts shops in Shaw and Kalentong..which I did...and finally spoke to this "New Power Car Parts" - the guy said he didn't have the part, HOWEVER, he suggested that maybe I didn't need to change the part..maybe all I needed was a good locksmith!!! EUREKA!!! YES!! I took a jeep to Kalentong and Mr New Power introduced me to my knight in shining armor -- mr. good locksmith a.k.a. Mang Berto -- a small white haired man who owned a little stall near "New Power". So after we agreed on a fee of P1,000 he closed his stall for the afternoon and we both took a jeep to go home... He worked on the car for THREE hours and finally got it fixed!!! Yes, Mang Berto for mayor!!!!
And that is how I spent chinese new year's eve.