Manipulation Vs Cheating

It's not really a versus, but there are times they can get mixed up.

I had occasion to make clear distinction yesterday, and I thought it had a heavy bearing on :

a) my understanding of the situation
b) my emotional reaction, and
c) consequent response.

the quintessential process of feeling, thought and behavior.

I've many a time written on recognizing and acknowledging our emotion to enable better handling of the space. This was a nice instance in example.

I needed new glasses. Visited the optometrist and got prescription from a reputed and fairly upmarket place. The store attached gave me a quote of Rs.22,300 for the specifications I wanted. Just the glasses, excluding the frame.  The cost was high enough to make me want to think again. 

Meanwhile I was strongly recommended to another much smaller store. I went, and after initial discussion, told him my specifications. He showed me brochures and stuff and then the exact same thing at Rs.9,500. I rechecked to the extent I could and placed the order. (believing the difference was on account of overheads and margins) 

When the glasses came, my vision was blurred but I was told it takes 3 days to settle. I gave it a sincere 3 days. It didn't settle. 

I went back to the store, he sent it back to the glassmaker, and then lots of back and forth and much discussion transpired. Somewhere along the way I figured I hadn't got the brand I wanted. I was stunned. I had clearly spelt it out.

What had happened here? Had I been cheated ? (People said I had)

But No.

What I saw was that Javeed, the real nice guy at the store, had made a long and convoluted sales pitch. What he had given me was same specifications, same company, different brand, (and clearly different quality). The lower priced glasses was only to close the sale.

I had clearly not been cheated. But then, I had as clearly been manipulated. 

Had I thought I had been cheated, my response would have been from a space of raving mad, total anger. Would have likely turned the situation ugly, likely I'd have lost my 9500, and surely he a customer. After all 'buyer's beware exists'

Now, I was able to keep it down to saying 'Javeed, yeh galath hai, aap ne yeh teek nahi kiya' (what you've done is not right). This time round I stuck to my point and didn't let him distract me, and he saw what I was saying. 

Manipulation and cheating, very different. Awareness...clarity....they always help, not just understand others, but also the self.

(Just to close story, he's now getting me what I want at the original 22,300, but after adjusting the 9500 I'd already paid, plus a discount of 2000 thrown in).