Why I fear for the youth of America...

I like to wear the "Shade" shirts. Okay, so they aren't all made by Shade, but that is what I call them, since the first of these modest under t-shirts that I ever had was made by Shade. I wear one almost everyday, just to keep things all nicely covered up.

So, when I found that one of the Shade-type vendors was having a "buy 2, get 1 for $1" sale I picked up a few shirts. Generally speaking, it is hard for me to spend $10+ for a shirt that always ends up being covered up, but even so, there is an essential need to eventually replace these shirts as they get old. Combine the price issue with the fact I can never decide which styles to buy, I can say that I usually resist the temptation to buy new ones. How does one choose? Sometimes I need the regular high-necked model. Other times I want the scoop neck variety. I hadn't yet tried the camisoles, and don't even mention the debate of lace or no lace. Suffice it to say that up til this trip, I've always bought shirts with sleeves and no lace. Ah, it's exhausting just writing about it.

Fast forward to last week. I ended up with 2 lace-on-the-bottom camisoles (one black, one white) and a sleeved, no lace scoop neck of a variety that I'd already worn & loved. Okay, so do the math with me. There were two cami's at $12.99 a piece, and one scoop neck at $9.99. This meant I paid full price for the first two, and $1 for the third. It didn't matter what I picked, that third shirt would have been $1, as long as it was of equal or lesser value.

So. As soon as I got home & tried on the cami's, I knew I'd made a mistake buying the scoop neck. They fit better than I thought they would, and covered up enough of what I want covered, and so I knew no longer wanted the scoop neck t-shirt. So on Saturday, I decided I would return it for a third camisole, which in my brain is a simple, here's-one-shirt, give-me-the-other-shirt type transaction.

This was not so apparent to the sales girls manning the t-shirt kiosk.

I find the correct kiosk and explain my situation. After handing her the affore-mentioned scoop neck and my receipt, Salesgirl #1 (SG #1) gives me a a perky "Oh, I can do that!" So, I pick out my white camisole and hand it to her. I can see her face cloud as she takes it.

"Now, you will owe me money if you pick this shirt, you know that, right?" she says to me.

Huh? is all I can think. I explain to her that I bought the shirt on the sale, which let me pick any 3 shirts and get the third for $1. "Yes, but the shirt you bought is a $9.99 shirt, and the shirt you want is $12.99. So you will owe me money." I try and try to explain that yes, I know that the shirts are priced that way, but I still only paid $1 for the shirt, and I could have bought ANY shirt and still got it for $1. But she didn't get it. She directs me to the other kiosk in another part of the mall. Maybe they can help me there.

So fine, whatever, I walk down to the second kiosk, and explain my situation to Salesgirl #2 (SG #2). She says the whole thing is fine, she can exchange the shirt, I just need to find it on the shelf & give it to her.

They don't have the right size at THIS kiosk. Hmmm.

So, after explaining this to her, she asks me to walk down the other ORIGINAL kiosk and we will look there. I knew they had the right one, because I had it in my hand before I was told I'd have to pay extra for it by SG #1.

Now, picture me. I'm feeling some serious pity for SG #1, because she didn't seem to understand the situation. I think I'm dealing with a full deck with SG #2, until, as we are walking to kiosk #1, she tells me, "Wow, you really worked this sale for your own good." HUH? My confusion grows, but we are at the kiosk, so I hurry to find the appropriate camisole to exchange without asking what she meant.

As I hand SG #2 the camisole, she said something (I can't remember exactly what it was) that leads me to think that she IS GOING TO GIVE ME MONEY BACK FOR BUYING THE MORE EXPENSIVE SHIRT. Sorry for yelling, but "working it" comment had finally clicked into place in my brain and I just couldn't believe it. While stifling giggles, I had to explain to her that no, she didn't owe me anything. I was simply replacing 1 shirt that I paid $1 for with another shirt whose value in this situation was also $1. I probably reassured her 3 times that she didn't need to give me any money, and that no one was getting (for lack of a better word) screwed by this simple transaction.

I left the mall, shaking my head, and giggling at the fact that SG #2 told me I'd "worked the sale." First I have SG #1 telling me I have to pay extra to exchange the shirt, then I have SG #2 who wants to pay me for getting the more expensive shirt. I wonder that they aren't robbed blind on a daily basis.

It all seemed so simple. I fear for the future of our country. I wonder: how will they react when they encounter something REALLY complicated?