AirBakZhang

The morning market was abuzz with bakzhangs. The number of bakzhang stalls seems to have sky-rocketed this year. All sorts were on sale~ the usual Hokkien variety, the albino Cantonese variety, the pillow type, and the crystal-like kee zhang.







Marketing aside, I also had some chores to run for the Airbnb. An idiot guest had broken the key for the front door, and it's now stuck in the lock. Talked to the St. Guchi customer support representative on FB Messenger, and they advised me on how to fix it. Initially I thought that I had to replace the whole lock set, but I was relieved when I found out that I only needed to replace one of the three components. I gave KH the specifications for the thumbturn and key cylinder profile, and he bought it from the hardware shop that St. Guchi suggested.



Things didn't go smoothly. The replacement part actually didn't fit. The 60 mm was too short! I did some comparison and found that it was suited for the room doors, not the front door. Blegh. We left the front door unlocked with the gaping key hole and went to get a replacement. Went back to the hardware shop in OUG only to be told that they did not have stock for the 70 mm! Damn. I couldn't wait because the next guest was checking-in at 3 PM. Dashed over to a locksmith shop near the BHP station, and the friendly uncle behind the counter assured me that he had stock. My jaw dropped when he told me the price.

Moi : RM150?!
Honest shopkeeper : Not expensive lo. St. Guchi very good quality one.
Honest shopkeeper : I bought 60mm for RM50. 10mm difference so much more expensive ah?
Honest shopkeeper : Cannot be la! How can sell so cheap? Where got?
Moi : (showed him the item and the receipt)
Honest shopkeeper : Impossible this price.
Moi : Thanks.



I walked across the road to another hardware shop and bought it from the leng zai there for a third of the price. I recounted my story, and he told me that some customers even found his price expensive! Talk about an obscene profit margin. I'm never going back there.

That night, mum had a dinner at KLSCAH, celebrating Parents' Day, Exemplary Mother Award, Exemplary Father Award, essay competition, and a book launch. Amazing how they managed to cram everything in.