On February 8th, I ordered some books from a big bookshop in another town for B’s birthday (which is tomorrow). I said I wanted my books delivered to a local bookstore so I wouldn’t have to pay for delivery. They told me I’d have them in 3-4 days. I waited for 10 whole days and then I rang the local bookstore and asked them about my books. The (very nice and polite, I must say) girl told me that only one had arrived and they were still waiting for the other one. (The “another town” is 1 hour drive away, for heaven’s sakes!) When I asked her why nobody had called or e-mailed me for 7 days, she didn’t have an answer.

The second book finally arrived the day before yesterday, and I got both the e-mail and the phone call. I asked on the phone if I will be given a discount since I had to wait for so long, and the girl said they didn’t give discounts because this never happened to them. I said (politely) that, as far as I was concerned, this happened to them all the time, and she said she would talk to the bookstore manager. I went to pick up the books today and got a 10% discount.
Why am I writing all this? Because, not so long ago, I would have said nothing, and tried to make them feel better for screwing up my order, all the while telling myself I was being polite and not weak.
I will do that no more, and I feel better for it.