Remembered

Normally, I wouldn't call a company out on something, I'd just ignore it. But today, I got out of work early, so it was the perfect opportunity to buy one of my last "perfect gifts."

Things Remembered, this is where you pay attention.

I went in to the store just hoping that I could buy a certain item my friend showed me online. So I braved the Westminster Mall for this one item (and happened across another gift for my mom!). And sure enough, it was in the display case. Perfect, I thought, but they don't have any out on the shelf. So I flagged down a barely-of-working-age girl and asked if she could open the locked drawers, so I could go meet up with said friend. She nervously asked an emo-type worker at the cash register for the key, who rolled his eyes and said everything was out. I heard him but she nervously repeated, so I asked where the next nearest store was, as I still had some time.

Well, the next nearest store was in Cerritos, and I didn't much want to drive all the way there in traffic if they were out, too. So I went back in the store and asked my emo sales clerk (the previously crowded store was now empty and the employees had vanished) for the number for the Cerritos store. Normally, an employee will call another store for stock. This employee asked another behind the desk to hand him the phone, dialed, and asked the person on the phone for the store phone number.

Now, if you dial a number off the top of your head ... couldn't you just tell someone?

He wrote it on a post it, and I went on my merry way.

The following conversation took place:

Clerk: "THINGS REMEMBERED!!!"
Me: {eep} "Hi, I was looking for (insert pretty specific item description, or about as specific as one can get)."
Clerk: "Do you have the item number?"
Me: "Umm... no?"
Clerk: "Well, I could tell you if we have that, but if you don't have the item number, I don't really know what you're talking about."
{At this point, I'm utterly confused, and trying desperately to think of another way to describe this thing. I mean, the store is tiny! And all of the similar items are in the same display case! Can't he just walk over and look?)
Me: "Well, it was just (insert same description; I don't know why I tried again but I did feel dumb after)."
Clerk: "Oh, you mean the gunmetal (item description)?"
Me: "Yes!" {more excitement than aggravation here}
Clerk: "Yeah, we have that."
Me: "OK, I'll be there in just a bit, thank you!"

He hung up on me. And at first I was a little afraid I'd called the wrong store, and talked to emo clerk, and that they didn't really have it in stock. I know it's a hectic time and all, but is it really that bad? I've worked in retail over Christmas, at even more popular stores (in my opinion) than Things Remembered. It wasn't that bad.

So, after a very long drive on side streets because the highway was clogged, I get to Cerritos. Why I thought I could just pop in to a mall 4 days before Christmas, I'm not sure. Anyway, I pulled my "park at Sears" trick (there's always parking at Sears), and found out that the store is on the opposite side of the mall. Now, I figure, time is running sort of short, so I practically run to the other side of the mall. And they indeed have my gift, but not on the shelf! Luckily, a nice young sales clerk took pity on the crazy, red-faced, out of breath lady, pulled one right out of the locked drawers, and sent me on to the register.

I know I'm probably insane, but it made for a funny story later.