1.08.2008

It's a courtesy rollback!

I was hoping that all of the grumpy salesclerks were just "holiday help" but, alas, that's one Christmas wish that didn't come true. At least at the Reisterstown Wal-mart. The grumpy, not to mention inept, salesclerks are still employed there.

I had a long list of items that I needed at Wal-mart today so I started in the jewelry department, where I needed a watch battery replaced. In the good old days, you could walk into any Wal-mart, Target, etc. with any watch and get a new battery. Not anymore. Now you need a photo ID and a signed affidavit from the "President of Timing" to put a $4 battery in a $10 watch!! But, since I'm a slow learner, I decided to try it anyway.

Of course, getting a battery replaced in the jewelry department generally requires an employee to replace the aforementioned battery. And, naturally, the jewelry help desk was deserted. I searched in vain for some sort of button to push or a phone to pick up and call for help. Finding nothing, I resorted to coughing loudly a few times and "Susie Smiles" emerged from behind the earring display.

SS: Can I help you?
Me: Yes, I'd like to have a watch battery replaced please.
SS: Did you buy it here?
Me: I have no idea.
SS: (Loud sigh) Can I see it?

I handed it over and held my breath. Ten loud sighs, eight rolls of the eyes, and four dollars later, I had a new watch battery! Miracles never cease!

A while later, I had finished my shopping and, because it wouldn't be Wal-mart if I didn't have to wait in line, I was waiting in line to check out. Evidently, Susie's sister, Sally Smiles, was assigned to Lane 10 today. Before she started ringing up my order, I asked her to check the price on one item that had no price on it. She acted like I had asked her to donate a kidney and scanned my item. I saw the price and said that I would take it. As I put it down, I asked Sally if she had rung up the item. "No," she responded indignantly, "you asked me to check it not to ring it up." I could see I was in trouble. I gave her the item again. She scanned it and continued with the rest of my order.

I moved ahead to pay and noticed a lot of bags going into my cart. Now, is it just me or does every Wal-mart employee only put two items--regardless of size--into each bag? I can't stand that. I don't want to load fifty Wal-mart bags into my trunk. I don't want to carry them into the house. I don't want to recycle them. Contrary to Wal-mart cashier training policies, Band-aids and granola bars CAN co-exist in a plastic shopping bag.

Anyway, by this time I was feeling snarky, so I said to Susie:

Me: You can put a few more items in this bag. (The bag I referenced held two, small clearance packages of Christmas tissue paper. Clearly, NOT a full bag.)
SS: (Loud sigh) Okay. (doesn't move to put anything else in the bag.)

At this point, I took matters into my own hands and started filling the bags myself. Sally caught on quickly and started to hand me items rather than bothering to do her job.

SS: I thought you wanted to put your Christmas tissue away.
Me: Excuse me?
SS: I thought you wanted to put your Christmas tissue away so I put it in a separate bag.
Me: (Wondering what the heck she is talking about??) Well, I will put it away when I get home.
SS: Well I thought you would store it so I didn't want to put other things in with it.
Me: (Wondering why the heck she cares what I do with my Christmas tissue and what it has to do with anything?) I will store it when I get home, but I don't want to unload 75 plastic bags.
SS: I can't believe there's any Christmas stuff left back there with all the stuff that's gone through here.
Me: Huh????

Sally went on loading, and I went on rearranging. I mean, call me strange, but I don't like my Oreos and my Windex in the same bag. Even though I don't want a million bags, I also don't want my Oreos to taste "mountain fresh"! Nor do I want my roll of paper towels flattened by the bottle of grape juice?? Am I asking too much?

But, alas, like the glutton for punishment that I am, I will return next week and subject myself to the same treatment. At least, next week I shouldn't need a watch battery!

6 comments:

C.C. said...

I feel your pain. I tend to get the cashiers who don't know how to do their job. Forget trying to use coupons - it takes an act of Congress to do that. LOL!

Anonymous said...

you should try a different wal-mart. the one in reisterstown is HORRIBLE!!!!!! but the one in Eldersburg will give you child rearing advice..free of charge!! hahaahahah....

The Thomsons said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Thomsons said...

It must be an unwritten law for all Wal-Marts everywhere: 4 available lanes for the 30 people trying to checkout!

Anonymous said...

LOL!!! I think ALL Walmarts are like that. On New Years day I ventured to Altoona, PA to the supercenter (our local store is not a sc) and ended up with a million bags.....well, maybe not quite a million. :-)
Denise (PW list)

Anonymous said...

Are you sure you weren't in the Morgantown Walmart? I have a few favorite clerks that I try to get, or else hope that Taylor's along and then we go to the self checkout.