The machine

Why I hate franchises, but still go.

Wal-Mart is at the peak of the evil empire of chain retail stores. The bloodsucking community pillaging kingdom of roll back prices and one-stop shopping are popping up everywhere, and not only that, in some cases they do it twice. They level an area, build a store, then in a few years decide to level another spot and build the “Super” version of the same store.

Here’s what bothers me. You get to a place and you ask an employee where something is, like let’s say a travel bag for a small pet. To which they reply… ummm if it’s anywhere it will be in pet supplies, otherwise we don’t have any… duh. Sometimes, they will scour the aisle for 33 seconds and then turn to you shoulders shrugged and palms facing upwards. “Sorry I guess we don’t have one”. Then the conference calls and a gathering ensue. The manager of the department is present and in a very certain and believable tone says: “Sorry, we don’t carry that type of carrier, only the rigid plastic travel carriers like these ones here”.

Disappointed but not whipped by any means I watch the group disperse. But one thing about me… I think I’m smarter than pretty much every one on the planet, yup, a real Einstein. So I start MY search. Expanding into other aisles and looking on the shelves below and above eye level. Then, there in a display box are about 20 Samsonite luggage style pet carriers for dogs of each size from 12-15 ponds, 15 to 25 and so on. And I smile because my description to the “specialists” was exactly what was written on the labels.

So in my blissful state I make sure to walk past at least 3 of the 5 people that were “helping” and smile whilst thinking “morons”.

“Oh where did you find that?”

“One aisle over near the doggy sweaters.”

“Hmm, funny because I’ve never seen those before!”

“likely because they were one aisle over near the doggy sweaters.”

“Hmm, well glad you found it!”

As much as I complain, though, I will go back to these places and stand in gargantuan lines for a tube of toothpaste, sock tape and a clock, because going to a pharmacy, sports and jewellery store has become far too involved for my taste, or ambition level. Hypocritical Putz.