Sometimes we have experiences we cannot escape from having to share with others. This phenomenon has oft been referred to by the modern adjective "blogworthy." I thought this encounter of mine today fit the category well.
I have to first explain that I've discovered in my experience of traveling across the country in the south/southwest during late August/early September in a vehicle with no air conditioning that 32 oz slushies are an essential part of survival and sanity. They must cool my body temp by at least 10 degrees, which makes a difference in a month where the high is commonly above 110. When I finished the slushi I had gotten in Mesa right as I was leaving my sister's house, I realized within the space of an hour that I would need to stop soon for another one before the end of the afternoon. So when I saw a gas station / travel plaza's huge sign from the freeway just a few miles from Blythe, I contentedly pulled over.
It was a store called "Zip" and their logo displayed like a dinosaur or lizard creature of some kind (if I remember correctly). I went to the bathroom. I didn't have to go real bad, but thought it was worthwhile as long as I was already stopped. I generally hate having to stop a bunch of times when I'm on the road.
I got out of the bathroom and proceeded to the fountain drink dispenser machine area. I pulled a 32 oz cup out of the cup-pully thing, and filled it with what was advertized as a "smoothie" but was just pretty much yer basic slushi machine. I chose the red flavor. I stuck my straw into the lid and watched a little of the red coldness ooze from the slits in the plastic. Mmmm.
When I went to check out, that's when the experience occurred. I set my cup down and the cashier looked at me in a sort of funny way I couldn't really identify or read. She said, "You know that I'm going to have to charge you for 2 cups for that. The cups for those drinks are different." (She said this very seriously and matter-of-factly, as if I honestly really would have known this). My cup was plastic. The 32 oz slushi I got from Circle K for 79 cents in Mesa had been styrofoam. I had pulled the cup from below the soda fountain. Apparently there were two choices of cups and I had passed up the correct one for that drink's particular price point.
"I'm going to have to charge you for two smalls."
Uhh, Okay, I thought...that's probably still pretty cheap and not a big deal. I just want my slushi and my ten degrees of coolness for my ride in my black pickup with no AC that absorbs and recirculates all the mind numbing desert heat. So, whatever, Lady.
"And they're 1.99 each."
"What? You're seriously going to charge me $4 for a slushi??" Since when is anything at a gas station in the category of "small" ever above a dollar? Is this some kind of sick joke??
But the experience was not complete yet. It would not have been quite what it was without her pointing to the drink fountain area indignantly and saying, "Our prices are TOTALLY marked."
I looked over toward the barage of random signage that characterizes all convenience stores known to man and tried to identify whatever clear marking she was talking about, but only for a few seconds. That just wasn't going to happen.
I looked despairingly at my ticket to coolness...did I even have a choice in this matter? God...stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid...some four letter words...stupid stupid...
I started pulling cash out of my wallet with a distinct display of pissiness, and then I realized, "What?? Hell yes I have a choice!" I looked up and said, "You know what? This is stupid! I'm not going to buy this." And I walked out the door.
It was a proud moment for me. I took my stand.
I'm really sure that the convenience store lady learned her lesson from my assertiveness, too. She probably felt terrible for losing that sale. She probably now better understands the value of the level of customer service needed to operate a gas station sitting in the middle of no where in the Arizona desert.
Yep...I showed her.
(When I need a laugh now I have a line that I can always repeat to myself - "Our prices are TOTALLY marked." Ha ha ha ha ha! Oh man. What a nice lady).
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