S M Ong: I got free fried chicken meal by pretending to be a Liverpool fan

Dear Texas Chicken Singapore,

I have a confession to make - I'm not a football fan.

But I'm a fan of free food.

Because I'm a fan of free food, I have pretended to be a football fan - specifically, a Liverpool fan.

It started last June after Liverpool won the Uefa Champions League after 14 years.

For some reason, even though Liverpool is not part of Singapore or vice versa, to celebrate the English football club's European victory, several eateries in Singapore offered one menu item for free for one day to customers wearing a Liverpool jersey.

But free food is free food and who was I to look at free fried chicken in the beak?

All I needed was a Liverpool jersey. The closest thing I got was a Liverpool T-shirt. I had bought it together with a Manchester City shirt for $50 for both at Takashimaya for the sole purpose of trolling a colleague, who is a die-hard Reds fan.

Last year, Liverpool and City were in a close race for the English Premier League (EPL) title.

If Liverpool had won, I would wear the Liverpool shirt to annoy him because he knows I'm not really a Reds fan.

If Man City had won, I would wear the City shirt to rub it in.

It was win-win either way for me. City won the title. Rub, rub.

But Reds fans could console themselves with the Champions League trophy - along with your free two-piece combo offer.

However, by the time my colleague and I reached the Texas Chicken outlet at Nex in our Liverpool apparel (him in an actual jersey), we were told the free combo had sold out.

How was that possible?

Apparently, there was a cap of 100 free combos per outlet, which wasn't mentioned in the offer. Just "while stocks last".

I felt cheated.

I felt even more cheated a couple of hours later when you announced on Facebook that the 100 combo limit was lifted for the rest of the day.

So I was both too late and too early.

GIFT VOUCHER

I was so upset that I complained on your Facebook page: "I went all the way to Nex at 6.50pm and was told only the first 100 customers get the free combo. And now you lift the cap. You cheat my feelings twice in one day."

To my surprise, you actually replied to my comment and asked me to message you back.

A week later, I received a Texas Chicken $10 gift voucher in the mail. Woohoo! I haven't thanked you for that. Complaining on Facebook works.

Then in a moment of weakness, I decided to give the $10 voucher to my colleague because he's the true Liverpool fan. Also, I wanted to make up for trolling him.

So in the end, I didn't get my free Texas Chicken meal.

That is, until last Friday.

Liverpool finally won the EPL title after 30 years.

You posted on Facebook: "Don your #LiverpoolFC jersey to any Texas Chicken outlet today - and receive a free 2-piece Chicken Combo meals (U.P. $8.80). Available for dine-in only from 11am till 9pm today or while stocks last."

This time, I didn't take any chances and showed up at your Star Vista outlet at 12.10pm in my mask and Liverpool T-shirt.

A guy in a Reds jersey was already in front of me ordering the free combo. Nice to know I wouldn't be dining alone.

When it was my turn, the cashier saw my shirt and guessed what I wanted. All he asked was "Original or spicy?" and "Drink?"

Best of all, he charged me nothing. I finally got my free Texas Chicken meal!

I was happy at first, but now I feel guilty after realising I got the free food under false pretences. I'm a fraud. The offer was meant for Liverpool fans and I'm not one. I just got the T-shirt (not even a jersey) - and for a rather nefarious reason.

I apologise to you and all true Reds fans.

To clear my conscience and help me sleep at night, I would like to belatedly pay you $8.80 for the free spicy two-piece combo I didn't deserve.

Please let me know how. My e-mail is below. Thank you.