A Visit to the Big Box

August, 2007

I miss shopping. I miss mini-excursions to my favorite spots. I long for the colors, smells and sounds of Retail Therapy! I yearn for the feeling that a super-shopper (like, my former self) gets when they land on a sale - and stumble on big bargains.

As my Under-employment 'stint' DRAGS on.....I've had to make many, many, many lifestyle adjustments in an effort to NOT be homeless.

(The lack of )Retail therapy - has been the hardest adjustment of all. In my working days, a quick trip to a bright and shiny BIG BOX would lift my spirits and ease my anxiety after a long day at the office. I could feel the tension slowly draining from my body as I crossed the threshold and entered the BOX.

The tension release would continue as I gently 'fingered' the merchandise on the over-stocked shelves. The 'RUSH' of the purchase....was like a 'high' that I'd never known before. It felt GOOD to have expendable cash that could be used to purchase non-essential products!!!!

Those days are gone!

Now, I'm limited to only venturing into the BIG BOX for the bare necessities. And, typically that 'venture' only happens - when I'm armed with coupons to support the mission. I carry a list and stick to that list - in an effort to have enough money to pay rent!

The agony of pinching every penny takes a bit of the 'RUSH' out of the BIG BOX experience for me - these days. And, although my trips to the BIG BOX are few and far between....I've noticed some 'glitches' in the system - at some of my favorite shopping haunts.

Recently, I went to the shiny (RED) themed location. Grabbed the shiny (RED) shopping cart, pulled out my list and began the trip down the slick and well polished aisle. On this particular day, I moved quickly. The idea of lingering and looking at all the products I have no 'business' buying right now - was like a cruel joke.

It was the middle of the day on a Thursday and the giant store had seemed relatively vacant as I made my way through the merchandise. However, as I pushed my cart towards the check-out lanes, it quickly became apparent that the other 55 shoppers in the store were also checking out at the same time.

I was able to quickly asses that the TWO employees at the TWO open check-out lanes were certainly not going to efficiently handle the sudden surge of customers trying to pay for purchases. From my place at the end of the line, I could clearly see beads of sweat streaming down the nearly pre-pubescent teens faces as they cursed the day their parents made them get a summer job.

I marveled, as other employees donned in RED shirts and TAN pants, strolled pass the Check-out-Scene...with no intention of assisting. One young employee rolled her eyes as she observed the chaos then, squeezed between me and the woman with the baby stroller. The BIG BOX employee never broke stride as she passed between us.

I laughed out loud at the lunacy. By this time a slight murmur was rumbling through the impatient shoppers. Moms with crying kids, professionals on their lunch break, a couple of fire-fighters and a tattooed teen .....were getting restless.

At some point, a middle-aged-nervous woman with glasses emerged. Her RED shirt was tucked tightly into her TAN pants. Apparently, she was some-sort of manager because she began hissing into a head-set-style- communication device, imploring "all available associates" to come to the front check-out.

She resembled a secret service agent that was trying to maintain composure while protecting the President. After three urgent pleas for support - a few Red-shirted employees appeared from the bowels of the BIG BOX. And, despite the growing swell of angered shoppers, the additional employees seemed to move in SLOW MOTION.

I stood in utter amazement as I watched the scene unfold. Middle-aged-nervous-glasses- lady began directing customers to the newly opened lanes. In my case, she began unloading the contents of my basket, in an effort to get my 'stuff' on the black conveyor belt faster.

I turned to her as she grabbed my toilet paper and placed it on the belt. "I'm not the one that needs to move faster," I smiled.

I doubt she heard me, because in a flash - she moved to the next aisle and was unloading the contents of another unsuspecting shopper.

The thought that a sudden surge in shoppers checking out at the local BIG BOX - creates a near-riot condition - is a MIND-NUMBING concept for me.

I continue to marvel how service is increasingly crappy, employees are grossly unqualified and management is re-active instead of pro-active - at ALL LEVELS of industry. This is not just a BIG BOX phenomenon. No one can solve a problem or take pride in their work. God forbid if someone has a forward-thinking thought or idea that streamlines productivity.

Good gracious.

And, I'M getting turned down for jobs? Un-freaking believable!