Waiting for the other shoe to drop

People who come to Wal-Mart for shoes need to understand one thing. YOU NEED TO CHECK THE SHOES BEFORE YOU PAY FOR THEM.

1. Check that you have a right and a left. Some people play games with the boxes. Don't just grab a box and go. YOU WILL REGRET IT LATER!
2. Check that you have two of the same size. People with swap shoes if they have different size feet. Not everyone in this world is honest. This is Wal-Mart. Expect the WORST.
3. The box has a tag. The shoes have a tag. You are going to pay whatever the tag attached to the SHOES rings up. After all, any box can fit most any pair of shoes, comprende vou? So don't think to try the "switch the expensive shoes into the cheap box trick." That one won't get you anywhere. And when you try to return it, you'll have the same problems.

The point of all this is this.

This woman, the demanding matron type comes in today with a box with two left boots. She says she sent her son back to the back to look for another pair. I explain her options. She says she'll wait until he gets back. I look at the bottom of the receipt and see she bought the shoes yesterday. So there is probably a box with two right boots back there. Or even more of the same kind of shoe.

The kid, who looks like an idiot, or at least a good solid "C" student, comes up. "I can't find any." Demanding Mother is rather exasperated with him. "Did you look?" and "Did you ask for help?"

The other girl asks if she still wants the boots? Getting an affirmative answer, she goes back to shoes to look for the other pair, since she knows something about shoes. I do two customers in this time, maybe five minutes. I can feel Demanding Mother start to smolder with impatience.

OK witch. YOU didn't want to go look yourself. YOU didn't check the freaking shoes before you bought them. YOU didn't even have the little angel try them on. YOU told the girl to go get the other shoe. And now you're put out about having to wait? Good Lord woman, PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE!

So now, between every customer that I have, Demanding Mother leans on the counter and starts fuming. She begins to pepper me with questions. "Will she call here if she finds it?" "What's she doing?" (Taking a nap, you dumb monkey.) "Can you call her?"

And finally, she breaks. "I just want my money back."

I do the refund. And I can't resist a final dig. "And ma'am, next time, have him check the shoes before he buys them."

Demanding Mother rolls her eyes but wisely keeps her jaw shut.