Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Seeing Red at Target




My first post in...ahem...a long time, and it's a rant.

I really hate to do this - I mean, not hearing from me in weeks, and the first thing I do is complain when I get an opportunity to write something, it's probably SO rude...but today's experience was rather...rude. To say the least.

So, I'm back in Kansas City from my 5-week long odyssey in Florida. Daughter and I returned last night....

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

My daughter and I visited a store while in Florida to purchase some school supplies, but we didn't quite get everything on "THE LIST." (Typed in all capitals on purpose, as we all know how important and vital "THE LIST" is.)

And we hauled all of our purchases home in our suitcases, not knowing how much time we'd have before tomorrow to get our supplies.

However, we were still in need of a red marking pen.



(And really....a red marking pen??? Isn't it the teacher's responsibility to do the marking in red? Since when did it become the student's job to grade papers??? But I digress....)

So, today...we visited our local Target store in quest of the elusive red marking pen.

We were standing in the school supply section, searching hopelessly for the pen, when a 40-some year old Target store clerk standing there says, "If you're looking for the red marking pen, you're out of luck."

"Oh, shoot," I said. "That's EXACTLY what we were looking for."

He then said, dripping with disdain, "Well...if you hadn't waited until the last MINUTE to do your shopping, you'd probably have had better luck."

Not sure if he was attempting to be funny or not, I hesitated before replying, "Well...we were out of town for the last few weeks."

"You couldn't have bought your supplies wherever you were???" he shot back.

Really? I'm being challenged in the store by an employee on when and where I do my school supply shopping?? REALLY????

So I answered, "Well, last I checked, Disney doesn't exactly sell red marking pens in their souvenir shops. Their loss, I guess. Guess I'll start taking my business to Staples - perhaps THEIR employees won't give me a lecture about when I do my shopping."

And I walked out of the store.

Moral of the story: If you must have a red marking pen, don't wait until the last minute...and don't go to Target.

Peace.

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1 comment:

Mental P Mama said...

Seriously? A red marking pen. And they're sold out?? Here's something to cheer you up: there was a feature on CBS news tonight about Joplin and how the kids went back to school yesterday. A woman had the idea a few months ago to put out a plea for sewers to make school clothes for all the children who lost everything. People from all over made things, and they had over 14,000 new things to give out. It was the sweetest thing I ever saw! All these precious little girls posing in their brand-new "First Day of School Dresses" I wanted to cry. The kindness of people gives me so much hope....