credit me, please

As regular readers of my blog knows, Steff is an aspiring talented fashion designer. Few months back, she told me of how fellow classmates would 'steal' her designs.

Once, she was inside the room sewing pieces of fabrics together to form a design. Her classmate entered and chanced upon her design.

Initially, Steff had hoped that she wouldn't see it, but too late...the next day, an exact replication of her design was presented right before her very eyes.

And what was she going to do about it?

Her eyes were full of exasperation as she replied,

'Nothing, what can I do?'

Perhaps, she wanted to hold together the tapestry of classmate ties together and keep the peace.

Today, the same thing happened to me.

My very first reaction?

I felt indignation rising up in me, anger pulsating through my throbbing veins.

The interview. The questions. The answers. The people involved. The situation. The questions. The people involved. The interview.

Rewind back to that fateful day. I was the one that pleaded, negotiated, pleaded, negotiated with the manager to secure an interview.

I came prepared with all the questions, with pen, paper and video recorder. She came prepared with her lipstick and cleavage-baring outfit.

During the concert, I was frantically scribbling notes on my notebook. In the dark. She was strutting her derrière around the atrium, finding opportunities to procure a panoramic view of him.

Backstage. I was fretting over that as-of-yet-not-confirmed interview, going through the questions over again and again, rehearsing them in my mind. All I wanted was an interview. All she wanted was a hug from him.

While I was backstage panicking over the securing of the interview, she was asking him, "Can I have a hug please?"

Before interview. Still negotiating with the manager. All I wanted was an interview, damnit! All she wanted was a chance to get up-close-and-personal with him.

Still before interview. 3 groups of people from 3 different publications wanted an interview with him.

I wanted an exclusive. I didn't want to share for very selfish reasons that are rightly and justifiably so.

We all know reporters want scoops, they don't want something that other people already or also know. They want first-hand and exclusive information.

When the manager finally asked me how many people were to be let in, I started counting off people who were in the publication.

For a while, my selfish instincts threatened to override whatever benign and generous mood Mother Theresa may possess.

And, then I looked at her. I could see the glint of eagerness and hopefulness in her eyes. I knew she wanted this as badly as me, although for very widely different reasons.

I paused. "Can you let her in too?" I finally asked the manager, pointing in her direction.

What angered me the most at this point is that she refused to admit that I was the one who let her get entry rights to the interview.

Instead, she waved at her notebook (purely for wallpaper purposes) and said suavely, 'Yah, because I'm from so-and-so publication.'

Initially, she asked me whether I was from the same publication as her. I replied no. And the manager made it VERY specific he only wanted MY publication to do the interview.

But, she thought it was her bloody RIGHT that she got an interview with him. She refused to admit that it was thanks to yours truly which was why she even got bloody material to write about.

Interview. I wanted to ensure that the interview went smoothly, I scanned through the questions and shot them at him, one by one. All I wanted were good answers. All she wanted was to flirt with him.

In the end, guess who got their BIG FAT NAME in print? With MY questions using MY time and MY effort, and MY answers that I got from him. I'm sure I didn't request to be 'backstage crew'.

And, what did I get out of all this kindness? Nothing, not even a thanks!!

Excuse me, brainless bimbo, couldn't you have used your own questions, NOT bloody take others and pass it off as YOUR own?

Oh, sooorrrrryyy, I forgot! If it were up to you, your interview would be as below:

BB: Are you wearing make-up?
Him: No, do you want to help me put on makeup?"

-THE END-

Which everyone knows WILL NOT see the light of a good publication, or ANY publication for the fact.

I deserve some credit. Period.

I AM VERY ANGRY OVER THIS MATTER FOR MANY DAYS!!! MY ANGER SURPRISES EVEN MYSELF. IS THIS THE BASIC INSTINCT OF ANY FLEDGING REPORTER???

p.s./ Dear God, I promise to be selfish from now onwards.