First... We moseyed over to Golden Acres to drop off our application and the encounter was only slightly better than your average visit to the DMV. There must be something about my appearance that's off-putting to fat large-ish, frumpy plain, quasi-civil servants of the female sort.
I introduced myself, explained why I was on her premises and then asked the lady if she would kindly look over my app to make sure everything was filled out properly. She agreed to do so with only a slight shrug of her shoulders and a "what the hell, I don't have anything better to do" sort of expression. Her eyes narrowed when she got to the income section, whereupon she looks up and sez "you probably make too much money to live here." "Probably?" sez I, inferring that this sort of thing is an absolute -- either I do or I don't -- so let us not mince words. "Well, probably," sez she, yet again. "Your income would 'probably' be too high for a one-bedroom apartment but you'd 'probably' qualify for a two-bedroom at the maximum rent, which is still cheap."
Uh... OK. I make too much to live in a one-bedroom place but I could live in a two-bedroom place... with extra room I neither want nor need... displacing someone else who makes less but who might need the room? That makes a lot o' sense... But I forget: this IS a quasi-gub'mint organization we're dealing with here. So we have about another three or four minutes of friendly chat (on my part, at least) and then I pick up my things and go. I wasn't too impressed... can you tell?
Then... We stop by the IGA and pick up a couple o' gallons of water for to make the coffee, that bein' our sole purchase. Some smart-ass high school dropout bagger-boy asks me if I "need help with these? I can carry them to your car for you." "Ummm... no thanks. I'm good," sez I.
I could... and prolly should... be charitable and assume the boy was just tryin' to help. But that brief exchange rubbed me the wrong way, coming hard on the heels of my encounter with the fat lady who didn't sing. So, not only do I make too much money for an ol' retired geezer but I appear to be too fucking frail to carry two gallons of water across the parking lot.
Dang. What IS it with people today?
Third... Just in time to break today's string of unpleasantness... we had a brilliant experience at my Local Likker Locker. "Ah... Samuel Adams Summer Ale, excellent choice!" sez the clerk as I'm checking out. So there's that and it DID take the edge off. Somewhat.
Buck, I have a friend who wanted to live in one of those retirement communities, and she still works. She had to get their largest apartment due to her income, which is almost as big as the house she wanted out of. Government cannot do anything right.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing, she says, is that she doesn't have to mow the grass. :)
Can't speak to the fat lady; she probably didn't care - mores the pity.
ReplyDeleteThe grocery store dude was just doing his job. I see them at one of our more gourmet-level stores offering that service to everyone, even those with one bag of onions.
Ditto on lack of customer service.
ReplyDeleteI went to the Sprint phone store money in hand.
Walked in and two 20 something black girls were helping Jethro Bodines brother and his fat wife. Two clerks, one customer. They must have had him reel'd in on an Android or something.
One of them slides on her chair from behind the counter and yells across the store (really! yells!):
"CAN I HELP YOU?"
I look at her like the man who walked out on her mother and said "No thanks lady, I wouldn't want you to get off your ass just for me."
She just looked at me, and didn't know what to say. Then she looked at her boss who was in a severe frown at her.
I took that opportunity to get back in my car, and I have decided to just use the phone I have for awhile longer.
Sounds like you are too foxy & financially fit for Golden Acres, and too feisty & physically fit to let the young'uns help you with the grocery bags.
ReplyDelete...and that's not so bad, imho.....
The local Safeway clerks and baggers ask everyone if they want assistance. I'll take that over how the employees at the local Wally-World act... er, ignore.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations: slowly moving over to the "socialist side," with minor complaint(s) concerning the "the customer service."
ReplyDeleteBut then again, you were Air Force: the bastard child of a political process.
I hate people.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I think Sam's Octoberfest hits shelves today. Looking forward to some o' that, I am.
Staci: Your story sounds too familiar.
ReplyDeleteKris: I think the lady in question was just basically incompetent. And you're prolly right about the bagger.
Anon1: I'd have walked out, too. My Sprint store was MUCH better when I went and got my new phone. No complaints there.
Red: I'm in pretty good shape all around, considerin'. That's a pretty big caveat, actually. ;-)
Thanks yet again for your kind words.
Skip: Once again, the folks at my Wally-World are pretty nice and helpful.
Anon2: FOAD. If you have something constructive to say, say it... otherwise Shut the Fuck Up. I'll delete further inane and insipid remarks from you.
Matt: I'm gonna keep my eye out for Octoberfest. I like Sammy Adams' stuff.
I'll jump on this one just to see if it helps alleviate your anger at baggy-pants bagger-boy: At the Safeway and the QFC here in town, they ask everybody if they want help, including the fit and strapping Dipso that you see before you now. I think the idea, ahem, is to keep people from, ahem, having the reaction, uh, that you had. Ahem.
ReplyDeleteWhat the other Andy said. Our Kroger requires them to ask even strapping studly types like myself if I need a hand with my bag of 'tater chips.
ReplyDeleteBuck, go ahead and take the second bedroom. The grandkids are gonna want to come visit. Hell, I might even drop in. Hope that doesn't stop you from doing it.
Hey...didn't comment on the post above. But, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Dude, I know it was not funny at the time, but Nyuk....
S-Andy: Well, yeah... that DOES help.
ReplyDeleteL-Andy: You're right about the post above: not funny at ALL, at the time, but my bud and I STILL laugh about that night. I suppose you hadda be there.
I've been out of touch and just now realized that you're considering the Big Move!
ReplyDeleteMy Daddy likes his second bedroom. He had a 1-BR unit for awhile and thought that was plenty of room at the time, but the larger space just really makes a difference for him now. Hopefully, Application Taking Lady won't be around all the time.
My take on the grocery-helper: our Rouses's doesn't ask about helping you out with your packages, but the checkers will occasionally card me when I'm buying liquor. That's worth a bestowing a tip, if one were to tip grocery checkers.
Oh! And thanks to Anon2's rather indelicate *snap, and your response thereto, I learned a new acronym today! Thanks, Anon2!
ReplyDeleteAnd, what Buck said.
That's good advice, Moogie, and I've filed it away for future reference. I also thanked ya fer yer support, re: Anon2, in comments to the post immediately above this one.
ReplyDeleteGeeze, Buck, you STILL considering abandoning the Kerouac lifestyle?? Damn, get yourself a bigger and/or better more sumptuous RV. Unless you think Portales is terminal. But even then I STILL prefer the cache of "Road Warrior Buck!" LOL As long as I know Buck is snug as an independent bug in his own little RV rather than living in an "assisted-care" "seniors" home sitting in a chair in a 2nd-story room overlooking the parking lot with a blank stare gazing out and drooling while nodding off, I know there's always hope for the likes of me! Come back Shane! Come back! PLEASE, Buck, for MY mental health (to hell with YOU) don't destroy my idealized fantasies of geezer "Captain-of-his-Fate" Road Warriordom!
ReplyDeleteVirgil does make a good point. Truth is, many of us live vicariously through The Buckaroo.
ReplyDeleteBut, don't consider how it would impact us. Sniffle...sniffle.
I just can't picture you in Golden Acres. You just aren't old enough yet to be living there, it's one step away from Heartland! Besides the ambulance is called there at least once a day for someone who has fallen and can't get up.
ReplyDeleteNow, if I were you, I'd check out Foxtrail Estates. They're townhomes and even though they are two bedroom, it sounds more something for you. Well, maybe a little too big, but this is Portales and there just isn't a lot to choose from. However, these are nice and well built.
Virgil: Portales IS terminal, just not soon (hopefully). I'm still looking at my options, nothing's been decided yet. I get a kick out your "road warrior" thang! The reality is a lot different than the vision, though. ;-)
ReplyDeleteTruth is, many of us live vicariously through The Buckaroo.
Heh. Wanna buy a bridge?
Jenny: Thanks for the recommendation, AND the kind words about bein' too young for GA. Heh.
I checked out Fox Trail on-line and that's a lil rich. If I were gonna spend that much money per month I'd buy a place and get the tax deduction on mortgage interest. But then I'd have to mow the freakin' lawn... ;-)
well, most yards are pretty small in pville and its good for you. Or you can hire a high school kid to come mow for you. ;)
ReplyDeleteI know some older folks that live in some placewest of ga, over off 19th and G. Jeff suggested it for you.