Teh Shopping

A couple interesting accounts of shopping that I've read. Phil writes about a day holiday shopping. Like Phil, I avoid malls like the plague. I try to avoid the busier shopping hours too, when I can. It was four weeks ago when I had had my fill of Christmas music and commercials.

Today was pretty tolerable for what I needed to get done. I was "given the choice" to either go with, or not, to one of the local, busier malls by Mrs D. She knows the answer before she asks. I had to get to a local hardware store and, ugh, Wal Mart. I drop Mrs D. in the land of the Shopping Dead, wishing her luck. She'll be there til closing, with her sister.

Wal Mart. Busy but not packed. Got there around 3PM, knew what I wanted, got it, got out by 3:30. Needed a furnace filter. They were out of the one I like, so I had to go up to the next level which was a few more dollars. Not a big deal. I couldn't find something else I was looking for so quit that. Then remembered I did have a list with me and went back to the other end of the store to get something I'd forgotten when I started out there. And you know where this is going. Got to the other end of the store when I remembered something else, not on the list, that was where I'd just been, so back across the box again. Again, not a big deal. Inside stores I navigate through the least-occupied aisles. Or try to, and that helps. Headed for self-checkout, paid cash, gone. Done.

Then, to a local hardware store, not a chain big-box. Overheard a conversation of someone unhappy with the mix of their paint color. That would be the least of my worries. Oh, but the hardware store had the Christmas Muzak on. Haven't heard enough yet. Able to get in and out in fifteen. I survived.

It's so easy paying cash at checkout. For those of you ahead of us who pay by any type of card, why don't you know by now which kind of card it is; debit or credit? And why do you waste the time of those waiting behind you in not knowing which button to press? You have a 50-50 chance of getting it right. Just fucking press one of the buttons. If it doesn't accept the charge - then PRESS the OTHER button. WTF? It can't be the FIRST TIME you're using that card. Depending on the card-reader and card type, a credit card may be debit or credit. Take a guess, make it fast, enough with the deer-in-the-headlights-look when you get the "charge-declined" beep. JUST PRESS THE OTHER FUCKING BUTTON if this happens.

I can't complain about running errands today. It can always be worse.