People are really Shee-ple

Now sit back and imagine you are going to TJMaxx to get a belt. Not a overly expensive belt. Just one that you had seen a few days earlier and thought, "Uuugghhh, there isn't a tag on it! And the line is very long...well, if it's still here on Monday, then I'll come back and get it."

So, after working out at the Y, sweaty and in full workout gear--tank top, jog skirt and tennis shoes, you go back to check on the belt. After digging around a sec, you find it. Still paired with the other similar belt you were going to use for the bar code. You grab both of them, and make a lap to see if you can find anything else. What the heck, you get a little something for the hubby. Just to make absolutely sure, you decide to go look in the belts to see if there isn't a match. There is not. You ask the worker, "Do you think I could use the tag on this belt for the missing tag on this belt?" He checks to see there isn't a match lurking in the depths of the belt rack and says, "Sure. Just go to customer service and tell them Tony said it was okay." All is solved you think. Well, you would be wrong.

So pleased am I that things are going so well. I make another lap on my way to customer service and pick up a pair of pants for the hubby. I go to the customer service counter and explain it all to the guy at the cash register. There is some confusion, "So, do these belts come together or what?" Ah, ha, ha, ha (still able to find humor in things). "No, hee, hee, I just want the black one." He starts to ring it up and like a flash, some girl comes over and says "No, No, No! This belt comes with a shirt. You have to buy the shirt it comes with." And I say, but "I found it in belts." She says, "I'll get someone to help you." She makes an intercom request, hangs up, and leaves for lunch. After a few minutes a girl comes over, we explain what's going on...found belt in belts, but comes with shirt, have to find shirt. We go over to belts. Poor completely clueless Tony says, "Oh yeah! I told her she could use the price for the silver one for the black one." Helper girls says, "Ms. Harris says there's a top that goes with it." "Well, I don't know about that." says clueless but nice Tony.

Off we go. Now hold on, we're just getting started. We go to the Will Smith collection because she thinks it came from there. This is confirmed by another worker who says, "Yeah, it's from a silky white shirt. I think it's in clearance now." Off to clearance. We dig and dig. Helper girl is getting anxious. She runs away. Yells something from across the store about someone else will help me because she only works in jewelry. New helper girl is digging around in Casual Sportswear..still no shirt. We go back to customer service, new helper girl recounts the whole story to another lady, who says ask Rebecca. Rebecca is paged. She is familiar with the controversial belt...apparently the story is getting around with the workers. She says, "Ms. Harris says it goes with a shirt. So, we have to leave this up to management to make a decision." I say, "Can I just buy any shirt and throw the belt in." New helper girl says, "I know the shirt, it's $16.99..yellow cotton." (hold on, i thought it was silky white) I say, "Fine, I'll pay $16.99." Some other lady gets on the intercom and asks for June (apparently the manager while Ms. Harris is at lunch) to call customer service. Everyone leaves, except for me and the intercom worker. After sitting around for a while and letting others do their exchanges and returns. She pages June again. Nothing. I say, "You know, if I weren't an honest person, I could stuff this belt down my pants and walk out of here. There isn't a sensor or anything. This is worse than a government agency." She says, "You know, you're right. (ding, light bulb moment) I can do this. I can do this." She ends up giving me a tag for $7 for the belt.

I go wait in line, since I have other things to buy and others are waiting to exchange and return she can't help me. I get to register 6 and start in about my belt story. Apparently she has heard about it already. She says, "Girl, you shoulda just put it round your waist and walked outta here." I said, "Oh, yeah, I accessorize my work out gear all the time." She said, "They wouldn'ta blinked an eye." God Bless her. After all that, it probably won't even fit my ass.