Friday, December 08, 2006

 

A RASPBERRY AND A RAVE

Sometimes people - or businesses - do something so wonderfully unexpected that you are taken aback. Let me tell you about two experiences I just had - one terrific and one - well, not so terrific.

I have a beautiful Baccarat chandelier which hangs in my bedroom. When I installed it about eight years ago it was possible to buy bulbs for it in Jerusalem. But - as so often happens here - with time the product you were so happy with disappears from the market. I bought lots of extra bulbs; however , with the passage of time, I am left with only the six bulbs in the light fixture. What do do?

As I still had the box from the last bulb I went into the trusty internet, found the manufacturer and the address in New Jersey, and wrote to them explaining my problem in finding the bulbs and asking if they would ship me at least a dozen - I would pay,"kamuvan" (of course), for the bulbs and any shipping and handling charges. An American company, mind you, where you would expect courteous and prompt service. Not at all. Have you heard from them? Neither have I. One would expect such a large company - for they seem to be quite large - to have an active Customer Service Department - to whom I addressed my letter.

Shame on you BULBRITE in Moonachie, New Jersey. Not even a reply to say you couldn't - or wouldn't - sell retail - not even a reply to tell me where I might find the bulbs - not even nothing. No answer - zilch - nada.

But - all is not lost. My friend, Roz, is going back to South Africa in January and she will look for the bulbs for me. Can't ask anyone in the States for help as these are 220v bulbs and the States uses 120v. If anyone in Israel is reading this and knows a specialty bulb store - anywhere in Israel - after all, I now have my new GPS and can find my way around - please let me know....then I won't have to bother Roz.

And here in Israel - where we are definitely not known for any kind of "service with a smile" - I had the most wonderful experience. I had to pinch myself to believe it was really happening.

I was sent an enormous bouquet of roses as a gift - two dozen of the most gorgeous roses I have ever seen, from one of the most expensive florists in the city. Within one day they died. I certainly wasn't going to call the friend who sent them to me - he would have been mortified. Again - what to do?

After much thought and discussion with my "parliament" - the group of friends who discuss everything - well, not everything but you know what I mean - I stopped in at the store and told the owner what happened. She was horrified and insisted on preparing for me the largest bouquet imaginable. She felt terrible - and I felt even worse for making her feel so bad. I explained that I didn't wanted anything from her - I just thought she should know what happened to her flowers - after all, she has a reputation to maintain. No, no, no - she thanked me for telling her - she said that is the only way she knows what is going on with the flowers she sells....and insisted I take the bouquet.

Which is why I am giving a great big rave to ORCHIDEA Florists in the Kanion Wolfson. She could not have been more gracious - and that was before we discovered that she was a neighbor of my friend, Marallyn! Jewish geography, you know.

As I always say - one of the things I love about living here is that everyone knows everyone else.

One request to my readers who do not already do so - please post any comments you may want to make regarding my Blog directly to my Blogsite. Just go to the end of the Blog - click on "comments" - and write in the little window that pops up. Don't send them to my email. I haven't yet figured out how to transfer the "comments" from the email to the Blog.

Stay Safe.

Rena

Comments:
i'll go to europe for you and look for those bulbs...i mean, after all what are friends for??? glad about the flowers...not nice...hope you have a wonderful shavuah tov
 
That's a good idea - any excuse for a trip to - anywhere. Why don't we take off for Europe next week?
 
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