Mall Trip - Part 2 (aka 'Mellow Efen')

Sorry about yesterday's post. I should not EVER type something out when I happen to be extremely pissed. Guess I should heed that 24 Hour 'cooling off period' rule. Oh well......I imagine it will happen again ;)

'Bikeboy' incident aside, the rest of the 'trek' went without any hitches (unless you count all the road construction and lane closures...(suppressing comments about this).

I pull into the mall lot which happens to be roughly the size of Maryland. I had figured since they didn't open until 10:00 and it's only 10:25, plenty of close parking would be in abundance. There's that 'Mall Naiveness' thing. Evidently, they had a 'sale' (yeah....these are extremely fuckin rare) and it was the last chance for 1/2 the state's population to ever buy anything at such a great price! I drive around (which in itself wasn't too bright because if the mall just opened who the fuck was going to be leaving this soon?) and can find only 1 spot that isn't a 1/4 of mile away...well, technically I guess it was a parking spot but the SOB driving the 1998 Mercury Marquis with Florida plates (retiree..ya think?) felt they should take about 18" of 'my spot'. I passed. No need to deal with a big dent when they pulled out.

Found a spot, yes, far away but I can walk so no big deal (unlike that 300# gal I see get out of her car in the 'Handicapped Spot' with 6 kids. Apparently her 'handicap' doesn't effect one area of her life).

Make my way through the myriad of aisles to the Shoe Dept. Lovely, I can see they really 'ramped up the staff' for this 'Once in a lifetime' sale. I count 3 salespeople. I also count 16 customers, not including myself, but since I'm only there to 'pick-up' I should get helped right away, well, that was my thinking. I go up to the counter where there is an older man running the register.

Him: Be right with you, Sir.

Me: Thats fine, no hurry. (Uh, can you spot the major error there?)

The guy is trying to do his best but it seems like the 2 ladies he's trying to check out, now aren't real sure of their purchases. "Could I see these again in that brown color instead?" He disappears and he's back with the brown ones. "I just don't know, Debbie, what do you think"? "Debbie' apparently is a fashion expert as she proceeds to critique both pairs with an endless amount of color combinations that 'Suzie' could wear with them including the 'new outfit' that she bought last week, you know, 'the one she wore to Megan's wedding (according to 'Debbie', it was Megan's 3rd but you couldn't really count the 1st one cuz it was annulled'). This goes on another 10 minutes until 'Suzie' decides she can't decide and tells the guy "I'm going to think about it some more while I shop...I'll be back". I could tell by the look on the poor guy's face he was thinking "You won't be back!" but strangely, not pissed at all. As 'Debbie and Suzie' turn to walk by me, 'Suzie' gives me this 'Oh I'm so silly' look. I give her the 'you're so fuckin stupid' look. I win on that one ;)

Now I am next and honestly, I am prepared for a litany of excuses of why they can't find the shoes, why they aren't the right size, why they aren't the right color, why they aren't etc etc.

Me: I'm here to pick up some shoes you're holding. The name is 'Efen's daughter, I'm her Dad'.

Older Sales Guy: Let me check, be right back.

Uh oh...that dreaded 'letme check' phrase. Here it comes...................

Older Sales Guy: Here ya go 'Mr. Efen Daughters Dad'. And he proceeds to open the box to confirm they are the right ones, the right size, and the right color, which they are.

Me: Sir, thank you very much, I really appreciate your time.

Older Sales Guy: No problem at all. Thats what I'm here for and if there's a problem with the shoes, please take my card and give a call.

I'm still reeling abit from that experience. Someone who actually wants to help, is polite, thankful for the business you're giving his company, and really seems to know what they're doing. I so wish he was 40 years younger..................my daughter could do a whole lot worse ;)

Oh, daughter gives me a big hug and tells me, "Dad, I hope you know how much you mean to me. I'm not talking about you just going to pick these up for me but the fact being you wanted to". All in all, the day was a winner :)