Yes, that's right, I am the Surly Christmas Shopper
I had a bit of a run-in with a sales clerk at the mall last night.As I have no doubt discussed before, I aim to have my shopping done each year by Thanksgiving. I almost did it this year too. I just had a few last items to pick up yesterday after work and for the most part, they were not my shopping.
SpySistah, as also previously mentioned, lives outside of the country. This makes Christmas shopping somewhat problematic. The solution that works best for us is for me to pick up the things she needs for our family members and I take care of it. She pays, but I do the shopping. It works really well.
So, last night, I was at Victoria's Secret picking up an item for SpySistah's shopping list and a last minute item of my own.
When I finally reached the front of the line, I told the clerk that I had two separate transactions. I thought that would be a simple enough request. Indeed, I still think it is completely reasonable and straight forward. But, surprisingly, it wasn't so.
She seemed to think that two transactions wasn't necessary. She said that she could accept a check for part and a card for the rest or some combination of cash and other payment. I get it: she thought she was being helpful. But, she stopped being helpful when I insisted on two transactions. That's when she clearly thought I was stupid.
Nevertheless, she allowed me to finish my two transactions as was my wish. And she could have let it go there, but this wouldn't be a story worth posting if she had...
Instead, as she is handing me my second receipt, she says, "And, just for the record, we could have done that in a single transaction."
So politely pissed I responded with this, "Honey, no. We couldn't. I need two separate receipts. In addition to shopping for myself today, I am also shopping for my sister who lives outside of the country and there is a need for me to keep the financial aspects as clear as possible. I need two separate receipts. It is as simple as that."
And then I walked away. Pissed. I was pissed. It isn't like I even wrote checks and took an exceedingly long time to do so. Both transactions were accomplished with a single swipe of the card. Would it have killed her to have kept her mouth shut? I don't think so. What would it have cost her to have just let me be the keeper of what my needs are? NOTHING. Doesn't she think I have a better handle on my finances than she does? Because I'm certain that I know more about it.
So guess what? I'm going to go online and fill out the little survey dealio that came with my receipt and make sure that corporate knows what happened.
I am the Surly Christmas Shopper. I am reminding myself of that Kathy Bates scene where she plows into those blonde tarts cars explaining that she's older and has better insurance.
