Some Explaining To Do…

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Last night, my husband and I went to return some gifts we had purchased for my parents for Christmas. We arrived at the store about three minutes before 7 p.m. As we pulled up to the front door, we saw they closed at 7 p.m.

My husband quickly bolted out of the car into the cold and dashed for the trunk. I quickly ran around to help him stack the two items so he could go in without me. He struggled for the door but managed to get it open before I could help him and then he disappeared amongst the customers.

I told him on the ride down that I would wait in the car. He had the receipts. The items were as we purchased them so I didn’t anticipate any problems. While I hadn’t specifically told him, the receipt clearly said 100% satisfaction or your money back.

I sat in the car and waited. I waited and watched as another customer was serviced before my husband. Then I saw him at the counter waiting and next thing he comes back out with the receipt as he normally would. However, as he walked towards me, I sensed something was up. I don’t know why. Perhaps I saw slight indications in my husband’s walk that he was agitated. If so, it was subconsciously registering because I didn’t see anything in particular that I can tell you about. It was just a feeling I got.

He got into the car as normal and I quickly asked him, “Did everything go okay? Did you get the refund?” He started the car, handed me the receipt and starts to pull out.

Out came the truth. “No, I didn’t.”

I’m like, huh?

Hubby: The sales guy told me that he needs a manager to make the return. I wasn’t happy but what could I do? He told me to come back another time. So instead, I left the items and told him to call us to make the return. I didn’t want him to have the receipt so I made him make a copy.

Me: What? You left the goods (at this time we are already a block down the road!)? Did you get something from him in writing that says this?

Hubby: No. I knew I was supposed to do something — so I had him right it down. I couldn’t think of what I should do?!

Me: He wrote it down and kept it. How does that help US? ((deep sigh of frustration! ))

Hubby was pissed at this time and threatened to turn around and go back. I told him that this guy sniffed him– and didn’t want to be bothered to do the return a few minutes before closing — so he pushed him off with a lie. And going back in now wasn’t going to help. For one they were closed and for two, he could deny everything. The damage was done. He knew you bought into his story. It was “clearly” a story. I knew this guy could do a return. I just wasn’t buying it.

I told him if I had gone in, I would have demanded he CALL A MANAGER! I would have read the return policy on the receipt and I would have nit-picked him about how odd it is a store would only issue a return at random times! I would have called him on his lie. Flat out. I would have turned up the pressure so fast, he would have made the return!.

The hubby knew it too. So he said to me, “That is why you should have done it!”

I shot back — I just hope we get our money back tomorrow and we don’t have some B.S. argument on our hands. This guy could take the goods and we could get screwed with a bill and no product now too!!

Well, thankfully, we didn’t get screwed. We got our money back. The store owner called and I got a big chuckle. After I talked to him, I called the husband and told him what the owner told me. The first thing the owner said is why am I giving you this credit now? You didn’t have your credit card number on you last night?

This painted a visual picture in my head:

The sales guy didn’t want to bother making the return — as I suspected. Instead he wanted to close the shop quickly and so he thwarted my husband with a really pathetic lie.

To cover his ass, he wrote a note for the store owner in the morning. “Please call these people and give them credit. You need their credit card number as they didn’t have the card on them last night when they made a return.”

What a liar he was!!

My husband feels duped this morning. The poor guy. I do feel bad for him but he needs to demand what is his and his right. Then again, maybe I need to accept that people don’t see what I see. However when 1+1=3 — Houston, we have a problem.

The employee who lied to my husband is named Jake. I can tell you one thing: Jake is going to have a lot of explaining to do today. I told the store owner the crap he put my husband through and let it be known we were not happy to be treated this way.

At first the store owner tried to defend Jake, and then before we hung up he said he was sorry and could not offer a valid reason for such treatment.

I suspect Jake will be looking for a new job today or will not have the best of days. Truly a bummer for Jake. He picked the wrong customer to lie to.

Best New Year’s Gift

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What a great idea, Townsville, Australia had. From my readings (see post below), I found that Townsville, Australia decided to forgo their fireworks display New Year’s Eve and instead donate the money to the victims of the Tsumani.

Imagine if we all did that! Pass on the suggestion…we still have time.

A Truthful Perspective from Outside

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When the world faces a disaster, I don’t depend on our media alone for information. I find they can be slow to get information, often outdated and biased. I am sure all media are like this — so I shop around for my news.

The Sydney Morning Herald in Sydney, Australia provides great news coverage to counter-balance our own. I highly recommend reading this polished newspaper. It’s a major newspaper for the Australian continent. You have to subscribe, but it is free and I have not received any spam mail for doing so.

In this article on the tsunami in their New Year’s Eve edition, I found this statement quite interesting:

After September 11 the President of the United States bullied the rest of the world to stand with him against terrorism. But this week George Bush had to be bullied by the US media and a sharp-tongued United Nations relief co-ordinator to stand with the people of the Indian Ocean nations in their time of grief.

The first US response was a cheque for $US15 million ($A19.2 million), which The New York Times noted was less than half what the Republicans will spend celebrating the Bush presidential inauguration later this month. By Wednesday, Washington was shamed into bumping its donation up to $US35 million but US Senator Patrick Leahy was still seething: “I just about went through the roof when I herd them bragging about $35 million – today we spent $35 million before breakfast in Iraq.

How sad is that?

As an American citizen, I didn’t hear the $15 million number once. I only heard about the $35 million. Why was it kept so hush? Is that why other nations complained about the U.S.? Did you hear about the $15 million?

I love America for many things, don’t get me wrong but I believe for us as a nation to be respected in a world community, we must deal with what others countries think about us — and work to make changes when we are seen to have problems and do have problems.

All nations have problems but those who are going to succeed in the global community will work to address them — and won’t turn their backs in denial.

What are we going to do?

The article goes on to say:

By the end of the week some tourists were back on the beaches of Thailand and our TV screens were filled with guilt-assuaging images of military transport aircraft and crisis management teams arriving from around the world. But it was sobering to think that the total world response this week – $US500 million, according to the UN– was no more than Australians spent on their new plasma TVs in the past 12 months.

Are WE truly giving enough money — being that we are the wealthy nation that we are?

You be the judge…

A Sad Day…to be Thankful

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Yesterday evening, after watching CNN to learn more about the world’s disaster, it started to sink in. The magnitude of the horror is beyond comprehension, beyond what words could ever describe. I realized that the injured zone could easily stretch across the entire width of the United States. It’s chilling.

The population of my town would have only been a drop in the bucket to the lives lost. I can’t help but feel parazlyed at these thoughts.

I keep thinking about Nate Berkus, a well-known interior designer showcased on previous Oprah shows, and try to envision his recount of what happened to him in Sri Lanka. After being washd out of his oceanside cottage, he and his friend clung to a light pole — only to be separated and washed apart. Nate has been unable to find his friend since and presumes he drowned. Now he must come home without him. Can you imagine that? I can’t.



I am stunned.

Horrified.

Speechless.

I am thankful…. for all I have today yet I feel unsure and uneasy.

Last night, I slept in fits…dreaming about the disaster. I can’t even remember the dreams, but I dreamt of rising water, panic and fear.

Nothing seems important today in comparison. Yet every simple thing seems so valuable. I feel blessed to have my family, my dogs, water, food, clothing and a place to sleep. Today I do not take my basic survival for granted.

I send my warm prayers to all those who had to endure nature’s fury. I am so sorry for all the pain, misery and loss…

Reggie White (Updated)

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If you turned on the TV in the past two days since Christmas, you’ve probably seen that Reggie White, a 43-year old NFL football star died, unexpectedly, of a massive heart attack on Christmas Day.

Naturally, you want to feel bad for him. It’s sad for someone to die so young. But it is also perplexing, isn’t it?

We know that NFL players are getting constant medical attention, nutritional counseling — every advantage they can so they can perform at their best. Then how could doctors miss a serious heart problem in the making for a such a young person?

I personally don’t believe doctors missed anything. I wonder if Reggie White, like many well known athletes, took steroids. I have no idea whether he did or he did not, but I have to wonder.

One of the biggest risks of steroid use is a heart attack.

As a society, our athletes are revered, honored and worshiped for their non-human qualities yet we don’t ever acknowledge why they are like this. It isn’t because god gave them thick necks and outrageous muscles…

UPDATE:

What is going on with the the Reggie White story? First, the media was clear he died of a heart attack. That is what they reported on Christmas Day. Then next thing you hear is talk of different medical conditions that Mr. White had such as sleep apnea. And now, the latest is they say the cause of his death is unknown!

What the beans? Why such a run-around? Com’on folks, we want the truth!

They are also saying it will take WEEKS to find out the cause of Mr. White’s death. Really, now? It takes weeks to perform an autopsy?? Not last time I checked.

Are they hoping the public will forget about the cause of his death, or what?? Or does someone know something — and perhaps something going on hush-hush behind scenes?

Things aren’t adding up with this story. I smell something really fishy here.