I recently went to one of the “Big Box” Home Improvement stores to get an adaptor for
a drill bit that I had previously purchased. I had bought the bit because it
could be used in concrete. But when I got it home, I realized that it would not
fit into a standard drill, which is the only drill I had. It had been designed
to fit in what is called a "hammer drill". I figured that perhaps
solving the problem might be as simple as buying a cheap adaptor that would
allow it to work in my drill...or so I
thought.
Anyway, when I got to the store, I walked around to the
drill bit area to look for a sales advisor. I thought I saw one, but when I
went to his spot, he had conveniently disappeared. Finding help in those places
is like playing a game of "hide-and-seek". And when you do corner one, it is as if you
had just spotted a rare bird.. .."Oh, look, there is a black &
red-vested bi-pedal store helper."
I did eventually find some help. I told the guy that I was looking for an
adapter that would take a hammer drill bit (which I took out of my pocket and
showed him) and allow it to be used in a standard drill. He scratched his head
….literally, he actually took off his cap
and scratched his head. He then said, "I don't think they make that
kind of adapter." He wasn't sure, but at least he was sure that they did
not carry them in his store.
Getting frustrated (because I was sure I had
seen some online the night before), I said, "Ok, well maybe I should just
buy a hammer drill and be done with it. Show me your hammer drills."
He replied, "Oh,
but those are really expensive...they start at about $200 and go up from
there."
I said, "Well
that's funny because I saw some advertised in your store online for
$79.00."
"No, that's not
possible," he says, "We have never had any that cheap."
"Well,” I said,
“let's go take a look."
So we meandered over to the hammer drills. I say we
"meandered" because he really did not know where they were. And, sure enough, there was one on the shelf
for $79...the same one I had seen online! -- which, I immediately pointed out
to him. He was obviously befuddled and embarrassed.
(Trying to cover his mistake) he said, “Well, I meant we
never carried them in the store…just online.”
So, I said, “And yet, there it is!”
Hoping to regain some semblance of self-respect, he said
“That is just a floor model. I don’t think we actually have any in the store.”
I replied, “Well, take down the model number and look on the
shelves to make sure.”
So, he wandered off, looking disgruntled and annoyed. He soon returned with an unopened box with a
new drill inside. “I guess we did have
one in the back”, he said, somewhat sheepishly. He then took off his cap again,
scratched his head and started muttering something unintelligible to himself. I
decided just to leave him in this state without saying anything at all.
I proceeded to the check-out section where, of course, there
was a very long line. People ahead of me seemed to be taking an
extraordinary amount of time---changing their minds, not knowing which card to
pay with, questioning the price, etc.---which now caused me to start
muttering to myself and scratching my head, as I wondered why this only seemed
to happen to me? When it was finally my
turn, I triumphantly placed my merchandise on the counter to be processed. I
say triumphantly because I felt like
I had been in a long, hard battle…but ultimately had won. That is, until I heard the cashier say, ”With
tax that will be $105.00 please.”
I said, “WHAT!”
as I realized another skirmish was developing. “The price was supposed to be
$79,” I said, somewhat incredulously and in a high-pitched voice I didn’t even recognize.
“No sir,” she replied. “It is $99.00 plus tax, for a total
of $105.00.”
As I began arguing about the price, I realized I now was
becoming one of those people that were holding everyone else up. (There was a
lot of muttering and head-scratching going on in the line behind me.) So I
finally said, ”Look, just call over my salesman and I will meet him back at the
original spot.” At that, I picked up the
box and went to the designated area to discuss what had just
happened.
My salesman was nowhere to be found. As I was looking down Aisle 9 to see if perhaps he had hung
himself from the rafters, a different salesman showed up. I took a deep breath
and told the new guy briefly what had occurred. He looked at the box I was
holding and said, “This is not a hammer
drill, this is an Impact driver. He brought you the wrong box.”
As my blood pressure was climbing I considered the situation,
and decided that I really did not want to fight that battle again…go through
finding the correct box and standing in line all over again. I just wanted to get the hell out of there! So I gathered myself and calmly said to
Salesman #2, “Listen, all I really came in here for was an adapter which
Salesman #1 said does not exist. Let me try this a different way. Do you have a
really good concrete bit that will work
with a standard drill?” (I had already tried some cheap bits before,
but they always broke or were ineffective.)
“Certainly, Sir,” he said with confidence. “Follow me and I
will get one for you.” So I went with
him a short distance to another section where he proudly held up a concrete
drill bit. It was the exact same bit I had in my pocket that I had brought from
home and wanted an adapter for!
Shaking my head in disbelief, I slowly (and a little too
loudly) said, “That bit will not
work in a standard drill!
“Of course not,”
he replied. “What you need is Hammer Drill.”
At that point I had a decision to make: Should I stab him in the eye with the drill bit in my pocket or should I just join the other salesman and hang myself in Aisle 9?
