Not Going To Happen 'Cause I'm Not Harry Potter (Impossible Patron Requests)

[HorseFreak]

And I'm not sure if I've posted this particular exchange before. A couple came up to me while I was unloading some body wash.

Man: "Do you have candy in this section?"
Me: *glances at rows and rows of soap* "No sir."
Woman: "Surely there's SOME around here."
Me: "Ma'am, the only candy is in grocery. It's in the other corner of the store, and beside the big display of potato chips."
Woman: "But-but-we just came from grocery!"
Man: "You're telling me there is NO candy in this section."
Me: "Sir, this is the health and beauty aids section. There is absolutely no candy here."
Man: "So what you're telling me is, we're going to have to walk all the way back over there to get it."
Me: "Yes sir."
Woman: *disgusted* "Well, that's just great."
And they both angrily stomped off.

 

That just broke my brain.

I shop in Wal-Mart at least once a week (one week for major grocery shopping, the next for the stuff I've forgotten or ran out of) and I can easily find the massive candy area in the grocery section. It's not hard to miss since there's a big sign labeled "Snacks" hanging overhead.

I think the reason that this couple was so incensed about the whole thing was that they were very red and out of breath. And the wife was sweating profusely. This was not on a hot day, and other factors lead me to believe that they were wheezing from walked from one end of the store to the other, which would partly explain their ire.  My very best guess as to why they thought there might be candy near the health & beauty aids is because sometimes there are seasonal valentine or Christmas displays of candy (though this was summer  ) away from grocery-however, these displays are always near the checkouts, not in the middle of health and beauty aids. This conversation may have actually been longer but that's all I remember from it. They were just so, so amazed that I had no candy. They acted like I kicked a puppy in front of them or something, and they thought that if they asked for candy enough times I would say "Oh my goodness! That's right, I stocked it near the tampons!"

I actually have two local Super Walmarts with two different arrangements which may explain the confusion. One has all the candy in a grocery aisle, while the older store actually does have it between the toiletries/medicine and makeup/lotion areas while the seasonal candy is in the groceries on the complete other side of the store.

[*new*mommyagain36]

Still on the topic of Sprawl Mart and impossible requests, this happened last night:

Our local Sprawl Mart has the usual row of checkout registers, 1 customer service (returns, exchanges) area and then a seperate counter that sells money orders, stamps, wires money, etc.  This area is kind of roped off and there is a large placard that lists exactly what services they provide.  I think it's pretty well labeled and clearly not a checkout for usual purchases.

2 older women were working up a lather standing at this counter and trying to check out their overflowing carts.

OL1:  WHAT do you mean I can't check out here, hon.
Employee:    I'm so sorry.  This area is for (lists services).  I can't check you out.  You'll need to go to a register.
OL2:    We NEED to check out, hon  Why won't you help us, hon?!
Employee repeats above, gesters to row of registers/cashiers. 
OL1:    See, that's the problem with this store, hon.  Every time we come here we can't get waited on, hon.  This is outrageous, hon.

On and on they complained.  Loudly.  And every sentence ended with the word, "hon".

Finally a manager arrived and very firmly pointed them in the direction of the cashiers and basically told them to move to a line or leave the store altogether.  He was not rude but very very firm.  This did cause the 2 ladies to move to a line, where they continued to grip, complain and "HON" until they were waited on by a cashier.  It was insufferable and ridiculous to watch.

[Thipu1]

When I started working at Wal-Mart there was a particular brand of soap, called Lava Soap, that they had recently pulled from the shelves. Apparently it was a miracle soap and would remove tough grease/paint stains and such from the hands of people who did heavy labor or technical work. I've had this exact conversation at least ten times:

Yep.  My grandfather used to use it after working in his shop (welding, metalwork, etc).

My father used Lava.  It wasn't touted as a miracle soap but it got the name because it contained pumice.

[Midge]

I would love to find some Lava Soap nowadays, I have such fond memories of my grandpa using it. (He was a farmer.) I loved the smell.

OK, back on topic, sorry!

My dad used it as well when he was gardening or fixing something--I miss it too! And Fels Naptha!

On topic,

I work in marketing for a division of a major university. We have a variety of classes for both personal enrichment and professional development. We have several writing classes especially for, for lack of a better term, "business people," that do not get many attendees. According to the woman running that area it's because the classes themselves are boring, outdated, and people usually only take them when they're "forced" to by their employers.

Also according to the woman running the department the reason no one signs up for them is marketing's fault.

Yep, not that they're lousy classes, it's because we didn't promote them properly.

[Luci45]

I would love to find some Lava Soap nowadays, I have such fond memories of my grandpa using it. (He was a farmer.) I loved the smell.

My dad used it as well when he was gardening or fixing something--I miss it too! And Fels Naptha!

Both are still available in our town at both grocery stores and Tractor Supply. You can also buy them on line.

[Midge]

I would love to find some Lava Soap nowadays, I have such fond memories of my grandpa using it. (He was a farmer.) I loved the smell.

My dad used it as well when he was gardening or fixing something--I miss it too! And Fels Naptha!

Both are still available in our town at both grocery stores and Tractor Supply. You can also buy them on line.

Oh yeah, I'm sure they're still available--I just have no reason to buy them. Neither my husband nor I get as grubby as my dad did!

[Cami]

My  niece works at a large theme park which is incredibly accomodating to people in wheelchairs and  ECVs. Nonetheless, there are some rides which cannot accommodate wheelchairs and ECVs. She regularly is screamed at by people, telling her, "YOU have to fix this! Right now! I paid my money and I want to ride this ride! Right now! Do something!" She said they honestly seem to believe that she has the capability to change the engineering and "cars" of the ride in an instant and that she's a beyotch for not doing what she's capable of doing.  She gets a lot of, "Where is your supervisor?!" At which point, she happily calls the supervisor who also gets yelled at and told to "DO IT NOW!"

She says she really wishes she had a wand she could wave over the "cars" and then tap against the rail to say, "Gee, guess the magic just isn't working today."

[PastryGoddess]

Still on the topic of Sprawl Mart and impossible requests, this happened last night:

Our local Sprawl Mart has the usual row of checkout registers, 1 customer service (returns, exchanges) area and then a seperate counter that sells money orders, stamps, wires money, etc.  This area is kind of roped off and there is a large placard that lists exactly what services they provide.  I think it's pretty well labeled and clearly not a checkout for usual purchases.

2 older women were working up a lather standing at this counter and trying to check out their overflowing carts.

OL1:  WHAT do you mean I can't check out here, hon.
Employee:    I'm so sorry.  This area is for (lists services).  I can't check you out.  You'll need to go to a register.
OL2:    We NEED to check out, hon  Why won't you help us, hon?!
Employee repeats above, gesters to row of registers/cashiers. 
OL1:    See, that's the problem with this store, hon.  Every time we come here we can't get waited on, hon.  This is outrageous, hon.

On and on they complained.  Loudly.  And every sentence ended with the word, "hon".

Finally a manager arrived and very firmly pointed them in the direction of the cashiers and basically told them to move to a line or leave the store altogether.  He was not rude but very very firm.  This did cause the 2 ladies to move to a line, where they continued to grip, complain and "HON" until they were waited on by a cashier.  It was insufferable and ridiculous to watch.

This wouldn't happen to be in the same shopping center as a Chick-Fil-A and an Office Depot would it? 

[Moralia]

I work for a printing company that specializes in fine art. Some of our clients don't seem to understand that just because the color looks right on their computer screens, it doesn't mean that it is going to match the original. They also can't seem to grasp that we need accurate guides for best color quality.

The best one was an image file for a painting that was scanned from a slide taken in the wrong light for the film (daylight film under a tungsten bulb). Furthermore, for color reference they sent a page ripped out of an exhibition catalogue and postcard, with a note which said that neither one was accurate. But still, they were SHOCKED that we couldn't match the color of their painting with ease.

Their revision notes were even more fun, "The atmosphere should be bright and airy like 11am at midsummer. The grass and flowers should be brighter...think Lily Pulitzer." We had to look that last one up as neither coworker nor I had ever heard of Lily Pulitzer.

[Thipu1]

We were on a ship which, because of bad weather had to skip a port.  Unfortunately, that port was a major reprovisioning stop.  As a result, by the end of the transatlantic portion of the cruise, some food items were exhausted or in short supply. 

It wasn't anything that should cause hardship for the passengers.  For the last day or two the only milk available was skim or chocolate and there was no tomato juice.  Lemons and limes were diverted to the bars because bar drinks generate revenue for the ship and lemon slices in iced tea don't.  there were also a dearth of some vegetables but there were substitutions. 

But, oh the privation in the minds of some! 

When told there was no lemon available in the dining room, one lady threw a fit.  'Oh, they have lemons all right.  they're just too lazy to go get them.' In over 30 voyages we have never encountered a member of the staff we would call lazy. 

Another man almost did a flat-out melt down over the lack of tomato juice. 

C'mon, people.  In the middle of the Atlantic the staff can't just run down to the grocery across the road.  If they're out of something, they're out of it.  There are plenty of other yummy things to eat and drink. 

[doodlemor]

My  niece works at a large theme park which is incredibly accomodating to people in wheelchairs and  ECVs. Nonetheless, there are some rides which cannot accommodate wheelchairs and ECVs. She regularly is screamed at by people, telling her, "YOU have to fix this! Right now! I paid my money and I want to ride this ride! Right now! Do something!" She said they honestly seem to believe that she has the capability to change the engineering and "cars" of the ride in an instant and that she's a beyotch for not doing what she's capable of doing.  She gets a lot of, "Where is your supervisor?!" At which point, she happily calls the supervisor who also gets yelled at and told to "DO IT NOW!"

She says she really wishes she had a wand she could wave over the "cars" and then tap against the rail to say, "Gee, guess the magic just isn't working today."

Absolutely, your niece needs to stand her ground, and not give in to the risk takers. 

Here is a sad story [warning:death involved.]  This theme park is now the target of a lawsuit.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/09/james-hackemer-army-amputee-thrown-from-roller-coaster_n_893850.html

[Adelaide]

And I'm not sure if I've posted this particular exchange before. A couple came up to me while I was unloading some body wash.

Man: "Do you have candy in this section?"
Me: *glances at rows and rows of soap* "No sir."
Woman: "Surely there's SOME around here."
Me: "Ma'am, the only candy is in grocery. It's in the other corner of the store, and beside the big display of potato chips."
Woman: "But-but-we just came from grocery!"
Man: "You're telling me there is NO candy in this section."
Me: "Sir, this is the health and beauty aids section. There is absolutely no candy here."
Man: "So what you're telling me is, we're going to have to walk all the way back over there to get it."
Me: "Yes sir."
Woman: *disgusted* "Well, that's just great."
And they both angrily stomped off.

 

That just broke my brain.

I shop in Wal-Mart at least once a week (one week for major grocery shopping, the next for the stuff I've forgotten or ran out of) and I can easily find the massive candy area in the grocery section. It's not hard to miss since there's a big sign labeled "Snacks" hanging overhead.

I think the reason that this couple was so incensed about the whole thing was that they were very red and out of breath. And the wife was sweating profusely. This was not on a hot day, and other factors lead me to believe that they were wheezing from walked from one end of the store to the other, which would partly explain their ire.  My very best guess as to why they thought there might be candy near the health & beauty aids is because sometimes there are seasonal valentine or Christmas displays of candy (though this was summer  ) away from grocery-however, these displays are always near the checkouts, not in the middle of health and beauty aids. This conversation may have actually been longer but that's all I remember from it. They were just so, so amazed that I had no candy. They acted like I kicked a puppy in front of them or something, and they thought that if they asked for candy enough times I would say "Oh my goodness! That's right, I stocked it near the tampons!"

I actually have two local Super Walmarts with two different arrangements which may explain the confusion. One has all the candy in a grocery aisle, while the older store actually does have it between the toiletries/medicine and makeup/lotion areas while the seasonal candy is in the groceries on the complete other side of the store.

See, if they had mentioned it to me, I could have said "I'm sorry, but our layout is different from other stores, we don't have candy over here. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience." Or something like that. But instead, I got two people who were foaming at the mouth and unable to articulate anything besides what sounded like "ME WANT CANDY! ME WANT CANDY NOW!"

[kherbert05]

My  niece works at a large theme park which is incredibly accomodating to people in wheelchairs and  ECVs. Nonetheless, there are some rides which cannot accommodate wheelchairs and ECVs. She regularly is screamed at by people, telling her, "YOU have to fix this! Right now! I paid my money and I want to ride this ride! Right now! Do something!" She said they honestly seem to believe that she has the capability to change the engineering and "cars" of the ride in an instant and that she's a beyotch for not doing what she's capable of doing.  She gets a lot of, "Where is your supervisor?!" At which point, she happily calls the supervisor who also gets yelled at and told to "DO IT NOW!"

She says she really wishes she had a wand she could wave over the "cars" and then tap against the rail to say, "Gee, guess the magic just isn't working today."

Absolutely, your niece needs to stand her ground, and not give in to the risk takers. 

Here is a sad story [warning:death involved.]  This theme park is now the target of a lawsuit.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/09/james-hackemer-army-amputee-thrown-from-roller-coaster_n_893850.html

I agree that the niece and the park need to stand their ground. There is no way to make all thrill rides safe for every person with every disability. The rider has to fit into the safety gear.

[iridaceae]

I agree that the niece and the park need to stand their ground. There is no way to make all thrill rides safe for every person with every disability. The rider has to fit into the safety gear.

They can't make rides safe for every person, disabliity or no.

[Thipu1]

I agree that the niece and the park need to stand their ground. There is no way to make all thrill rides safe for every person with every disability. The rider has to fit into the safety gear.

They can't make rides safe for every person, disabliity or no.

I agree. Equal access means making shops and public transportation accessible to all. It doesn't extend to thrill rides.  Such rides almost always post large signs that state you must be of a certain age or a certain height to ride.  Pregnant women, people with heart conditions or those who are subject to migraines are also warned.  It just makes sense.

Frankly, when someone who is obviously not able to be accommodated on the attraction demands entry I smell a rat.  The person is looking to getting money from the park.  That can come from a personal injury suit if the person is admitted or a denial of equal access if the person is not allowed in.  In either case, a decent court of law would throw out the complaint.