Battling uphill
I saw the bizarre wheelchair guy again yesterday morning, on my way to work. He was still going backwards, pushing himself with one foot, and he was further up the hill and on a different side of the street than last time. He looked a little healthier. Maybe it's all that exercise he's getting.
Something I witnessed today disturbed me. I was in one of our major retail stores today. Considering I was there to sort out a stuff up of theirs over some crystal glasses I ordered a billion years ago, and I'd been there for a-g-e-s doing that, I was still in a calm and happy mood when I went to stand in line to purchase something else afterwards. The lady who'd been helping me was a little overwhelmed when I explained my saga to her, but she did her best to get it rectified and order in what I wanted. We'll see how well she did in a couple of weeks when they have everything I want.
But that's not what this is about. I'd found a photo frame to buy for the lady next door, because she looked after my cats while I was away. There was one lady at the register, taking sales for about three departments, including books and cards, photo frames etc, and glass/kitchenware. There were two people in front of me and about 5 after me. Those of you who've read here a while know how much I don't love shopping at the best of times. When there are lots of people, I can be positively evil. Still, I was being patient, coz I could tell the woman didn't have much of a clue. Even the fact that she seemed to be in go-slow mode didn't bother me that much.
It was when she finalised her sale that I became concerned. The customer wanted to pay it off and was told she needed to leave a deposit of $8.25, plus $2.20 fee. Being a nerd, I had it added in my head in a second. I think to myself, "Tell her $10.45 doofus."
"Ah...$8.25 plus $2, that's $10..um...hang on....(muttered some figures that did not make sense......pause). Ok, $10.45."
I swear it took her at least a minute to figure it out. Doesn't sound like long? Do the sum in your head. It takes seconds. The customer looked for the money and passed it over. That's when the lady serving looked up and said, "Gee, doing calculations is soooo hard, isn't it?" If I wasn't leaning against a pole, I would have fallen over.
I understand! Honestly, I do! Some people are not good at mathematics. But to me, that was the most basic of additions and the stuff they teach you in primary school. In addition, she obviously has a job where adding and subtracting is a key part of what she does. And maybe I'm daft, or too logical, or something, but if that's the type of sale you're making and you know there's a cost and there's a fee, surely you can ring those amounts up on the register and it will tell you the answer? I've worked in retail before. I've shopped before. I know those machines add up stuff. :-p
Anyway, I'm not really ranting. I'm just totally surprised she had so much trouble. As well, if you know you have so much trouble with calculations, wouldn't you keep a calculator handy?
I also went to try on the top that T bought for me. They didn't have the same colour, so I still don't know exactly what it's like, but I like the style and the difference between the small and medium was minimal, except for arm length. The small fit me fine, but I stuck with the medium one he bought, coz when I wear something underneath it, it should fit about right...except I might have to grow longer arms or something.... :-p
It all ended well. I got out of there without doing bodily injury to myself or anyone else.
Something I witnessed today disturbed me. I was in one of our major retail stores today. Considering I was there to sort out a stuff up of theirs over some crystal glasses I ordered a billion years ago, and I'd been there for a-g-e-s doing that, I was still in a calm and happy mood when I went to stand in line to purchase something else afterwards. The lady who'd been helping me was a little overwhelmed when I explained my saga to her, but she did her best to get it rectified and order in what I wanted. We'll see how well she did in a couple of weeks when they have everything I want.
But that's not what this is about. I'd found a photo frame to buy for the lady next door, because she looked after my cats while I was away. There was one lady at the register, taking sales for about three departments, including books and cards, photo frames etc, and glass/kitchenware. There were two people in front of me and about 5 after me. Those of you who've read here a while know how much I don't love shopping at the best of times. When there are lots of people, I can be positively evil. Still, I was being patient, coz I could tell the woman didn't have much of a clue. Even the fact that she seemed to be in go-slow mode didn't bother me that much.
It was when she finalised her sale that I became concerned. The customer wanted to pay it off and was told she needed to leave a deposit of $8.25, plus $2.20 fee. Being a nerd, I had it added in my head in a second. I think to myself, "Tell her $10.45 doofus."
"Ah...$8.25 plus $2, that's $10..um...hang on....(muttered some figures that did not make sense......pause). Ok, $10.45."
I swear it took her at least a minute to figure it out. Doesn't sound like long? Do the sum in your head. It takes seconds. The customer looked for the money and passed it over. That's when the lady serving looked up and said, "Gee, doing calculations is soooo hard, isn't it?" If I wasn't leaning against a pole, I would have fallen over.
I understand! Honestly, I do! Some people are not good at mathematics. But to me, that was the most basic of additions and the stuff they teach you in primary school. In addition, she obviously has a job where adding and subtracting is a key part of what she does. And maybe I'm daft, or too logical, or something, but if that's the type of sale you're making and you know there's a cost and there's a fee, surely you can ring those amounts up on the register and it will tell you the answer? I've worked in retail before. I've shopped before. I know those machines add up stuff. :-p
Anyway, I'm not really ranting. I'm just totally surprised she had so much trouble. As well, if you know you have so much trouble with calculations, wouldn't you keep a calculator handy?
I also went to try on the top that T bought for me. They didn't have the same colour, so I still don't know exactly what it's like, but I like the style and the difference between the small and medium was minimal, except for arm length. The small fit me fine, but I stuck with the medium one he bought, coz when I wear something underneath it, it should fit about right...except I might have to grow longer arms or something.... :-p
It all ended well. I got out of there without doing bodily injury to myself or anyone else.
posted by E in Oz at 2:51 pm
these thoughts escaped my brain at 2:51 pm
6 Comments:
Haha, well a while back, I was doing a cash transaction (which is fairly uncommon in my department) and hit the buttons in the wrong order... out comes the cash drawer without tallying up the change.
I counted out the change for the customer, who congratulated me for being able to do the math. I was rather insulted. It's basic subtraction, for crying out loud. To drive a ship well, you actually need to be able to do some basic trig on the fly in certain situations. I mean, seriously... how hard is it?
You can count on people getting sums wrong
Don't understand it either. Been called Rainman on several occasions.... math is second nature to me.
Well.... not everyone can be as brilliant as us, right? tee hee.
Sometimes people just amaze me with their stupidity.
I am here to say that I am exceptionally bad at math. In fact, I went out of my way to take a much more difficult class in college just so I wouldn't have to take another math class.
I will say that I came up with $10.45 in about 3 seconds. I'm with you on this one E ;)
I don't do math in my head -- not well, at least -- but I could count back change when I worked retail. It's a BASIC LIFE SKILL, people!
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