I had a busy afternoon.
As soon as I picked up Michael from school, we had to rush to his yearly pediatrician exam. I always find this funny since we have to see his pediatrician every month for his ADHD, and I don't really understand the point of a yearly physical when we're there every month.
Anyways, the Dr.'s appointment went fine. He's grown a 1/2 inch in the last two months and hasn't gained a pound. It's sad... but we're always happy with this. As long as he isn't losing weight from his medicine, we're winning.
Right after the doctor, we had to run to our local Albertson's Grocery Store to pick up a couple things that Michael has to bring to school this week. Ketchup for his BBQ tomorrow and whipped cream for his ice cream party on Wednesday. (I actually added several un-needed items to my cart just because I felt a little strange buying whipped cream and ketchup.)
I always shop at the same Albertson's. They send me lots of offers and coupons in the mail that I never use, (I know... I should!) I really just go there because it's close and I like the people that work there.
While we were there, I needed to pick up a money order for Michael's pre-school. It's really annoying, but they don't take checks (and I'm too lazy to sign up for the automatic pay) so I have to get a money order every two weeks.
We were already rushed and of course (as it always is when I'm rushed) all the open lanes were 4 or 5 customers deep. Mind you, they had 6 lanes closed. Of course, I'd forgotten to bring Michael's afternoon medicine with me and we were 30 minutes overdue. He was getting edgier by the minute.
When we finally get through the line, I head over to customer service to get my money order. When I walk up I notice that there's a lovely little closed sign. Closed? I waited with my impatient and increasingly fidgety son for several minutes and finally I approached two of the employees gabbing away about their boss at the self checkout area. "Excuse me. Do you know if the customer service area is going to be closed for long?" I can't begin to describe the look she gave me, it was as though I had just walked up to two women out to lunch and interrupted them at their table. "About 5 minutes." she said and continued on with her conversation that was going back and forth from their boss to their anger with Jon from Jon and Kate Plus 8.
So I waited. I know how long it was because I was texting with a good friend in New York and I checked the times the texts came in. I waited 8 minutes and approached the women again. At this point, I was annoyed. I mean, I'm standing here, with a child, attempting to be patient and these two women couldn't take 2 minutes to either assist me or find me someone who could. It probably wouldn't have bothered me if they had been working or busy or anything besides gossiping about their boss.
"Do you know how long it's going to be or should I just go somewhere else?" Now the women looks up at me and says "The customer service employees get a five minute break. It should just be a few more minutes. Don't you think people deserve breaks?" Now I'd had it. I looked at her and started to respond in a not so polite manner but then reminded myself that my son is watching and it would be in my best interest to handle this diplomatically. "I certainly believe that everyone is entitled to a break. I also believe that if they are due a five minute break, then they shouldn't be gone over ten minutes which is where we are at now. Clearly, you have understaffed your store, which is unfortunate." I grabbed Michael by the hand and led him out. It took everything I had not to respond to them the way I wanted to which was to tell them that they were idiots, whose boss would probably love to know that they were A: shit talking him and B: losing customers while they were shit talking him.
As we left, they chased after me, telling me that they could take care of me if I'd just come back.
Too late.
Michael, who just finished his classwork on economics looked at me on the way out and said "I guess they missed the class about the customer always being right, huh Mom."
Yes Michael, sadly you know more about customer service at 7 than they do as adults.
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