Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Is it me?

We are off from work this week and it feels much needed and much appreciated. Lately my stress level has been in the danger zone. Last week, maybe because I was anxious to start my veg out, I was a tiny bit of a lunatic. It is hard to judge my lunacy when I see myself mirrored in my middle sons big baby blues. I love spending time with him ( he is hysterically funny) but he is starting to give me a complex.... a crazy one! No matter our situation, he views my behavior and my conversations as craaaaazy. ( he always exaggerates the a) For instance....
We were in Kohls buying him new work shoes... I remembered I needed to buy a baby gift. After getting the gift, the wrapping paper and the bow, I said let's pay back here at the Customer service counter, they may be more apt to have a gift box than the front registers. Very nicely as I put my merchandise on the counter I asked the bored, pissed off looking sales woman if I could please have a box. She looked at me like I was asking her for one of her kids. She said "We don't have any boxes".
So began my debate with this woman. "Oh, do you know if they have them up front?" "No, we don't get boxes."
me- What are you talking about? I always get boxes here........ Here is where my middle son looks at me with those eyes and that look on his face meaning... Craaaaazy. I could have smacked him in the head! He whispers to me... Mom, stop already they don't have them.... they don't give you boxes in stores. ( Can you tell, he only shops for skateboards and cds??) I say... Of Course they do! this isn't K-mart. When you shop at Kohls or Macys or bloomingdales... You are suppose to get a Gift box. She says " At christmas, that's the only time we get them" So I look up at the anti-clerk and I say..." WHAT?"
( but I get composed and try to simmer and say) "hold on let me go get a gift bag instead."
NO baby gift bags in the store... Back to her counter I look at her apathetic expression and I say.. So what are people suppose to do if you don't give us a box anymore? She says like it's common knowledge- " You go over to the dollar store and buy one". Here is where... thank god my kids where with me. I could have punched her right in her sarcastic ugly face! ( do you think I need this vacation???)
My tension was palpable. I pay her and we walk away. My son starts pestering me, that I sound like the lunatic customers that he has to deal with at work and he is Debating with ME, ME a semi-professional shopper... that Of course you shouldn't get a box! He was so emphatic I was slightly questioning my sanity and my memory of my shopping expertise. We got to the front registers, I walk away from my traitor son.... and say to the cashier... "Excuse me, would you happen to have a box?"
The sweet young girl said... Are you ready for this..... "Sure! What size would you like?" My eyes shot my 20 year olds like daggers... as I said to her... Your customer service woman claims they don't exist.
Again, If I wasn't with my kids... I would have happily marched all the way back to the cust. service counter... Held up my trophy called " A gift box" and said " Guess What? It must be Christmas!" Sometimes our kids bring out the best in us... I simply left the store.... triumphant and probably, YES, a little craaaaazy.
Basically this very long story is being told to remind me to breathe deeply this week. Enjoy the simple things in my life. Relaaaax. Take everything with a grain of salt (as well as extra salt on the rim of my much needed margarita.) See the glass as Half full ( As well as half full of Vodka with my fufu soda.)
Has anyone else been frustrated by sales people lately? I would love to hear your tales! :)

10 comments:

Giggles said...

HAHAHA I love this story!! Listen up sonny boy.. MOTHER KNOWS BEST!!! Joking of course, but we do! I knew before the story ended there was a box in that store!! Good intuition mama!! H--E---L--L--O....you are NORMAL!! My daughter is in Victoria the capital of British Columbia,,,,Oprah was there this weekend too.... Anyway she says the clerks are horrendous...she is in retail and can't believe it!! She called and said mom they are so rude over here! She can't get past some of the rudeness!! Maybe it's the times, excess jobs there I guess! They do what they want! Great post, wish I was there for a margarita!!! I can taste it now….maybe I will have one tonight…as a tribute to you finding a BOX!! HAHAA!! Bottoms up….now how does that read on your end? Hahaha!

ann said...

Merry Christmas Luanne!

Anonymous said...

I left the framing department at Michael's yesterday with my arms swinging (empty, not fists!) None of the 3 employees seemed to really want to come out of their hideout in the back room. One finally did but was so obnoxious ("you ARE getting a gold frame") that I just walked out without spending a dime. I have no patience for stores with surly help.

Deirdre said...

I had to return something last week (something I so rarely do) and got a clerk who was obviously not having a good time. Her eyes rolled, she sighed, her lips pursed. It was so bad two other clerks, bless them, stepped in and took over.

Things are definitely changing out there with customer service.

I'm glad you got the box for your gift.

Reverend Jeannine Bakriges said...

Lucy,
We've not yet met in person, but somehow I can see you perfectly in all your blazing glory standing triumphant in the scenario you painted for us readers. If I had been with you, "I" would have taken that bloody box back to the snitty clerk and parked it in front of her face (if not somewhere else.)
We're gonna be quite a pair when we do meet in person...Look out...

Anonymous said...

Here you go.... Rite Aid Pharmacy.
Long story short. Called refill in 7/26; went to pick up 8/2. Prescription incomplete. Owes me 44 of 60 pill prescription. Told to come back 8/4. Went back 8/8 with another prescription and wanted to pick up remaining pills. I was told the prescription was filled complete. Without the bottle and paper that comes with it, they can't do anything. I go home and return with the "necessary" paperwork and am accused of handwriting a slash with the number 16 and using a sharpie marker on the paperwork to say "owe 44". I went ballistic!!! This was not a controlled substance to be overly crazy about by them. After 10 minutes, I dismissed them and went to the store manager. In a basket behind the counter, was a sticker stating they owed me the pills! I guess I wasn't a fraud after all. The not helpful woman behind the counter was "working" in her bedroom slippers. Nice job. On top of all of this, they "lost" a prescription I left there on hold for a future refill. Needless to say, I called 800 number customer service. Am I a nut?

Lucy said...

No Carol You're NOT a nut!
thanks for your support everyone. There seems to be a breakdown of courtesy in our society. I knew it wasn't just me!

Anonymous said...

I'm right there with you Lucy. I feel like I'm going blow a gasket just about everytime I'm in a store. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing-- and the employees look at me like I'm the problem.

Glad you got your box. Insane that it took so much effort to get it.

Anonymous said...

BUT...notice tip jars have sprout up everywhere. Isn't that what a salary is for EXCEPT for certain industries where is supplements a lower scale in anticipation of that tip?

daisies said...

i live in a city with a huge problem as in too many jobs and not enough people so you can only imagine how fantastic customer service has become ... i try to shop as little as possible these days :p