I pride myself as being an efficient shopper. Actually, I REALLY don’t like shopping at all (except for books) and so, when needs must, I decide exactly what I need to buy in advance and swoop on the shops accordingly. For example, Christmas shopping might take me twenty minutes (perhaps?)...
However, yesterday was a little embarrassing.
I’m shortly off to the Isle of Iona for a couple of months (voluntary work with the Iona Community) and, it seems (according to the blurb I’ve received from them), that I’ll only be able to get my clothes laundered every fortnight. So, I thought I’d take the opportunity to stock up on socks, underwear, spare pull-ons, jeans, T-shirts and the like. I went along to dear old M+S yesterday afternoon, grabbed an armful of items and queued at the cashdesk.
The smiley, on-the-ball cashier immediately (and politely) wondered if some of the socks might be a little on the small side. Oh dear, yes they were… she was absolutely right, how stupid! “Nevermind, I’ll put your items ‘on hold’ and deal with the next customer while you go find some replacements”, she said.
I duly returned, armed with the correct-sized socks and suggested (half-jokingly) that I perhaps ought to check the sizes of the other sets of socks I’d previously dumped on her counter. Oh dear me, I had indeed chosen the wrong size again – this time, they were on the large side. When I reluctantly brought this to cashier’s attention, she responded: “Right (followed by a lengthy dramatic pause and an unconvincing smile), well nevermind sir, these thing do happen (although I bet she was REALLY thinking “but never twice”)… I’ll put them on hold again while you run off and find the proper socks”.I duly returned, apologised again and made some inane comment about me being the nightmare customer at the end of a long working day (it was 5pm). She simply smiled (but didn’t actually refute my suggestion!).
I duly paid, stuffed everything into my shoulder bag (refusing M+S plastic bags as I did so) and departed - still feeling a little embarrassed (although I think I’d proved to be good entertainment for the other people in the queue?).
Unfortunately, when I got home and emptied out my bag, I realised that I’d left four T-shirts on the counter!
I returned to M+S this morning. Fortunately, there was a different person on the till – although I did just get the feeling that she’d already been told about yesterday’s “customer-from-hell”! I collected the aforementioned T-shirts and ran!
PS: I now own so much underwear and socks that I think my present stock will “see me out”!
However, yesterday was a little embarrassing.
I’m shortly off to the Isle of Iona for a couple of months (voluntary work with the Iona Community) and, it seems (according to the blurb I’ve received from them), that I’ll only be able to get my clothes laundered every fortnight. So, I thought I’d take the opportunity to stock up on socks, underwear, spare pull-ons, jeans, T-shirts and the like. I went along to dear old M+S yesterday afternoon, grabbed an armful of items and queued at the cashdesk.
The smiley, on-the-ball cashier immediately (and politely) wondered if some of the socks might be a little on the small side. Oh dear, yes they were… she was absolutely right, how stupid! “Nevermind, I’ll put your items ‘on hold’ and deal with the next customer while you go find some replacements”, she said.
I duly returned, armed with the correct-sized socks and suggested (half-jokingly) that I perhaps ought to check the sizes of the other sets of socks I’d previously dumped on her counter. Oh dear me, I had indeed chosen the wrong size again – this time, they were on the large side. When I reluctantly brought this to cashier’s attention, she responded: “Right (followed by a lengthy dramatic pause and an unconvincing smile), well nevermind sir, these thing do happen (although I bet she was REALLY thinking “but never twice”)… I’ll put them on hold again while you run off and find the proper socks”.I duly returned, apologised again and made some inane comment about me being the nightmare customer at the end of a long working day (it was 5pm). She simply smiled (but didn’t actually refute my suggestion!).
I duly paid, stuffed everything into my shoulder bag (refusing M+S plastic bags as I did so) and departed - still feeling a little embarrassed (although I think I’d proved to be good entertainment for the other people in the queue?).
Unfortunately, when I got home and emptied out my bag, I realised that I’d left four T-shirts on the counter!
I returned to M+S this morning. Fortunately, there was a different person on the till – although I did just get the feeling that she’d already been told about yesterday’s “customer-from-hell”! I collected the aforementioned T-shirts and ran!
PS: I now own so much underwear and socks that I think my present stock will “see me out”!
3 comments:
To choose one incorrect size of socks, Mr. Broadway, may be regarded as a misfortune. To choose two looks like carelessness. (with apologies to Oscar Wilde)
M xxx
Oh dear, oh dear!
Although I'm no one to talk. Last week I had to return to the deli to pick up a laundry liquid refill I'd left on the counter!
And then there was the time I left my debit card in the cash machine and a kind man chased me down the road to retun it!
You are not alone!
This is why God didn't give the breasts to men: we have to cope with 2 separate sizing systems for just one garment.Glad all is sorted, and you don't need to resort to ancient Japanese footbinding technique to wear your socks.
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