luminous purchase not so bright

I think I’ve successfully managed to prevent myself from ever being asked to buy something for our happy home again. I was summoned by the ‘flatties’ to purchase a new phone for the household because our current one is so old that the battery keeps dying mid-conversation (most frustrating!).
Upon investigating, I found a charming pink telephone in the Argos catalogue that I deemed quite appropriate for a ‘girlie’ flat like ours. The nature of shopping at Argos is such that, once you have chosen your goods in the catalogue, you pay for them and collect them, in the box, straight from their ‘warehouse’. I must commend them on their lifelike pictures, as I have, previously, never been misled.
Proudly returning to the office with my new phone a colleague asked if he could see my purchase. Bearing in mind that I have no need to distrust the reliable people at Argos, I did not look inside my box. Thus, I was a bit surprised when Olivier began laughing hysterically. ‘It’s pink!!!’ he chuckled.
‘Yes, I know’, came my casual reply.
‘NO, it’s REALLY pink!’ he exclaimed through gasps.
On inspection, the horror must have been written all over my face as Olivier only laughed harder. Why now? Why did the catalogue deceive me when it was vital that I prove myself as a responsible flat-mate, capable of taking on a simple domestic purchase?!? It was as if someone had coloured the handset in with a pink highlighter. To say it was ghastly would be giving too much credit.
So now I have to take this garish, plastic object back home and present it to the expectant flat-mates. It could work…if we all wear sunglasses when we want to call someone.