Just Plain Stupid

I shopped at a large North Coast retailer yesterday (you get to guess which one), and bought a pair of shoes. I really, really wanted those shoes. For a change, the price was the same as I would pay for them online.

Then I wanted to buy some peds to go in the shoes. The ones I liked best were thick cotton, three to a pack, $9 a pack. So they're $3 a pair. Doesn't take a brain surgeon, or even me, with my limited math ability, to figure that one out.

I wanted two packages of the black ones, but there was only one full package. The other package had two pairs in it instead of three. So I figured, well, I'll just take these up to the register and pay $6 and get the two pairs of peds.

I get to the register, explain the situation to the cashier. Nope, he couldn't handle it, had to call a supervisor. She didn't have enough authority to say the deal was OK (for $6 worth of socks??) so he had to call HER supervisor.

The chief wookie supervisor handed down her verdict: she'd give me 10% off.

Huh? Thirty-three percent of the product, i.e. one whole pair of socks, was missing and she'd give me 10% off?

I turned to the lady behind me and said, "Do I have 'STUPID' written on my forehead?" She said "No."

I turned to the cashier kid and asked the same question. He just shook his head "No."

I was so flummoxed I forgot to tell him where the supervisor could put the socks (I have no doubt they'll fit nicely, probably with room left over), paid for my shoes, and left.

What I don't get is this: With people that dense in managerial positions, how the hell has that company ever managed to stay in business? It's downright scary.

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