Monday, November 29, 2004

Why I hate Wal-Mart reason #693

Last year my sister gave to me a picture of the two of us for Christmas. Not just any picture, mind you, a really goofy picture of us when I was probably 4 and she was probably 7. Its hilarious and sits on my nightstand so I can have a good chuckle before bedtime.

I thought a good Christmas gift for my sister this year, to reciprocate, would be a copy of a picture of us from 1975. I was only three, but I actually remember this picture being taken. The photographer made us KISS eachother on the lips. Ewwww. Even as an adult I look at the picture and think "who thought this was a good idea?". But, I thought it would be funny to get a copy and frame it for her this year for another good laugh.

The picture is 30 years old, it was taken in Pennsylvania and I now live in Texas, it has no copywright info on it whatsoever, and even if I wanted to there's probably no way I could find the person who took it. I remember the guy came to our living room to take it. I had a temperature of 102. (I didn't remember the exact temp, my mom told me, but I remember I felt as sick as a dog). Anyway....I went to Wal-Mart to make a copy, but since it's a professional I thought I'd ask if they would let me. The woman behind the counter said it looked old enough...she thought it was OK if it were over 25 years.

So, I wait in line at the little picture maker thing. A woman was at the thingie doing her digital pictures. I kept thinking, certainly this is her last picture. But 112 FREAKIN' PICTURES later, ONE HOUR of standing there, and my blood at about boiling point, she gets finished (I wasn't about to drive all the way back home. I live in the middle of nowhere and its 45 minutes to Wal-Mart).

I make the copy and go to the counter to pick it up. Meanwhile, the lady I spoke to earlier was nowhere to be found and this geek is at the counter. The conversation went like this:

Snotty geek: "You can't copy that"
Carol (also a geek but not snotty): "Why not? The lady said I could if it were over 25 years old"
Snotty Geek: "She was wrong, it is 75 years"
Carol: "But I waited in line an hour"
Snotty Geek (In a I-am-really-not-sorry tone): "Sorry"

I think I would have been able to take it if they hadn't told me one thing in the first place, or if I hadn't waited in line an hour, but really if the guy was nice about it I definitely would have been nice back. But, at this point, I lost it.

Carol: (In a very loud outside voice) "BUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER GUY IS DEAD"
Snotty Geek (Again in a not-my-problem attitude): "Sorry"
Carol (under her breath): "I hate Wal-Mart"

I turned on my heals and left.

3 comments:

MilkMaid said...

Dang it! I want to see the picture!! :)

Carol (Smiles and Laughter) said...

I'll take a picture of the picture and post it this weekend! (You probably won't think it's that funny...usually when something is pumped up like that it isn't. Its just us standing there with goofy looks on our faces).

Thought about complaining, Deb. But then I thought, does Wal-Mart really CARE if I don't shop there anymore? They probably would thank me. :l Sigh. You just can't win with those corporate jerks. I know, I know. I should at least try.

angela marie said...

sonsofbitches.