How to get a Blackberry in four easy steps…and remember not to encourage negotiation, you’ll never win.

Shoot me down, tell me I’m a fool, but whatever you do, don’t tell my hubby I got my youngest daughter a Blackberry!

 

I know, I know, I said I wouldn’t, but technically I said I wouldn’t BUY her one. What I’ve actually done is get her a contract for one, so if you do feel the urge to tell my hubby I won’t feel  bad as I didn’t lie to him…phew, rationalized that one well.  *she gulps several times*

 

She was pretty good working me over to get it though, starting a couple of weeks before Xmas and eventually getting her way on Boxing Day. But what made the whole process so amusing was her new tactic of negotiating – negotiating now being her favourite word.

 

The first phase of negotiation was based on her first year final marks – the deal she suggested here was if her marks were over and above a college stipulated %, the college would discount next years fees, which I could then direct towards the cost of the phone. I didn’t agree or disagree, but rather laughed good-humourdely and left the negotiation hanging. Suffice to say she missed this by about 3%, the phone went up in smoke, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

 

The second phase started on Christmas day when she found I hadn’t surprised her with the Blackberry as a gift. “Ok, Mum, I will put ALL the money I have received today towards the phone….puh-leeeeeeeeeeeeeease.” I once again didn’t agree or disagree, but rather laughed good-humouredly and left the negotiation hanging.

 

The third phase came about on Boxing day. The pair of us hit Cavendish and I was quickly escorted to Cellucity “to find out about the Blackberry Mum…”.

“Hmmm,” I heard myself say, several times during the sales man excellent pitch, which ended by the way with a warning that said special deal was only on for the next 2 days.

 

“OK, youngest daughter, let’s go and have some coffee and chat,” I managed to say and headed for some caffeine where I hoped to pull my thoughts together.  And of course ever hopeful I could distract her and leave Cavendish without the Blackberry.

 

Sometime between coffee and paying the bill, she managed her fourth and final negotiation, which I swear I must have slept through, or she drugged me. Before I knew it we were headed back to Cellucity where she donated a fraction of her Xmas money, and I’m now paying for 2 contracts instead of 1. Yes, people that is what I said, 2 bloody contracts, the old contract that ends in May 2011 and the new Blackberry for the next 2 years. What the hell did she give me? For all I can vaguely remember is signing my name on a piece of paper and loads of giggling going on around me.

 

The gigglers being youngest daughter, sales-lady, and another young woman who I have no idea of who she is, but seemed to be negotiating the same deal with her father, via her old phone. If I find out they were in cahoots…well, I’m not sure what I’ll do, but it could be nasty.

 

Negotiation people, do me a favour, it was more like a hostile takeover of my mind…not to mention my bank balance! Hell I need that girl close by when my next salary-review is on the table.