"SIR....SIR! Can I please scan that side of beef before you whack that woman with it?"
The Haggler, a writer for the New York Times, has compiled a list of things that tend to drive him nuts as a consumer. I’ll take a look at a few of his peeves then expand on my own.
These are some his:
Upselling. This is irksome if you’ve ever been shopping. Especially on a visit to the post office where the clerk asks you “would you like” questions and all you want to do is buy one lousy stamp.
“Yeah, can I buy a roll of that sticky tape to put over your mouth?”
Haggler say that beeping elevators drive him nuts. They really don’t bother me, but the people who get on the up elevator that’s going down obviously are brain-dead.
Pushy sales reps are another one of his gripes along with sales people who ask you for your e-mail. Sure, here’s my e-mail, now can I have yours. I look at it this way……if I’m gonna give you my personal e-mail then you’d better fork yours over too.
My own personal list of things that drive me nuts isn’t too long. I try not to let things get me to that point. But here are a few.
Publishers Clearing House that sends you those mail out saying, “someone in your area will win a gazillion dollars….will it be you?” Of course it won’t be me. It’s usually some 99-year-old lady in Oshkosh, Wisconsin that won’t live long enough to collect the winnings.
Has ANYBODY you know EVER won ANYTHING from PCH?
Those organizations that send you personalized mailing stickers for your envelopes and misspell your name then ask you for a donation. Hey, if ya can’t spell my damn name right I’m not sending you any cash. Besides, I have six million address labels as it is that will be here long after I’m gone.
And what about those sneaky ones that enclose a nickel attached to their fund-raising effort. They give you the damn nickel, then, want it back with your donation. What the hell is that all about? I usually send it back with a 95 cent contribution. Adds up to a dollar in the end.
Those self checkout aisles in the supermarket should be reason enough to carry around a hand grenade in your back pocket. You’ve got a few things, walk up to the self checkout, scan the items, and one kicks out. The light goes on, the clerk, after 15 minutes, comes over and scans the item, and you’re on your way. But not before the guy in the next aisle that had ton of groceries zipped through the line before you.
(pulling pin out of hand grenade)
My final rant today, and I’ve mentioned this before, deals with yet another line. This one happens in just about every single store I’ve ever been in and I’ve got to be perfectly honest here. I’ve NEVER seen a man do this.
You’re in line somewhere, somewhat in a hurry, and you’ve managed to pick a line where it’s moving quite rapidly. UNTIL! Until the clerk tells the woman in front of you that the bill is $78.66. Me…..I’d hand the clerk four twentys or whatever, get the damn change and be out the door. A woman……
“Oh wait, I think I have the 66 cents right here in my dufflebag.” (purse)
Ten minutes later with the help of a few West Virginia miners, out comes the 66 cents.
That same guy you met in line last week with a gazillion items has already gone through the next line and is out the door once again as you’re fighting off the other clerks and the store manager who are attempting to restrain you as you come at the woman with a frozen side of beef.
There are many more things that drive me nuts, but rather than go on, and drive my blog critics nuts with a high word count, I’ll refrain from going nuts with more things that drive me nuts.
Sometimes nuts even drive me nuts……but that’s a male problem.
Sorry……………………………nuts!
Copyright 2010 MisfitWisdom RLV
