anxiousEver since the BlockBuster down the road closed, my boyfriend and I usually just Redbox it or take our chances on the $5.00 bin at WalMart. He was in the mood for a series, and I had never seen The Matrix, so off I went to WalMart to buy the it because they had the 4-DVD set for $10.00. I picked up a couple of other movies as well, and some snacks, and headed for the register. I was so busy talking to the cashier about grapes vs pretzels in the packages of sliced apples, that I only grabbed one of my bags when I left. My fault completely- this is not the SA&AS. I didn't realise until I got home, of course, at which time I immediately phoned WalMart to let them know. The CS person said that my bag of DVDs was waiting for me at the service desk. Groovy. I said I would be there within 10 minutes.
When I got to the service desk, there was a customer being helped, so I waited behind the sign. From where I was standing, I could clearly see my bag on the back counter. Apparently, someone waiting empty-handed (save for a receipt) at Customer Service for some, er, customer service is a bit odd, so an associate came over from one of the tills to see what I needed. Henceforth, he shall be known as Captain Helpful, or CH.
CH: Can I help you?
Me: I'm just coming back to pick up a bag I forgot. It's right there, so I'm good. Thanks, though.
CH: It's probably still at the register. Can I see your receipt?
Me: It's actually right there on the counter. [I handed him my receipt anyway]
CH: Hmm. Register two. What did you forget?
Me: The DVDs, but they're on the counter. I called a few minutes ago, and the lady who answered said she had them.
CH: No, we don't do that. They're probably still at the register or they got put back. Register two...
Me: They're at the service desk. I called less than ten minutes ago, and she said they were there. That's them on the counter.
CH: Let's just go see, okay?
I sighed and said okay, and we walked over to register two, which was closed at the time. There were no DVDs there, because they were... at the customer service desk. But he had my receipt, and I really had nothing to be in a hurry over, so whatever.
CH: They're not here. Hmm, they were probably put back.
Me: [fucking seriously?] No, they're at the service desk.
CH: We don't hold things at customer service.
Me: I called, and the lady said she had them.
CH: She was probably reading off a log. We put everything back right away.
Me: They're in a bag on the back counter. Four DVDs.
CH: Operator 1. Do you know what she looked like?
Me: Um, young? Brown hair I think?
CH: [sigh] Okay.
So, CH asked two other associates if they knew who Operator 1 was, and neither did because who knows that offhand? In the meantime, I saw that the customer who had been ahead of me left, so I walked back over to the service desk to get my bag. CH was hot on my heels, telling me that my DVDs were not there, and I would probably have to go get them again. The customer service associate had heard what I was after, so she grabbed the bag and handed it to me. She kind of rolled her eyes (not at me), shook her head, and said she was sorry. I thanked her, said it was no problem because I was the ditz who left her bag, and told her and CH to have a good night.
CH: Well I guess I don't know how to do my job.
Me: ...
CH: Have a good night.
Seriously? I've spent more than a decade in retail hell. I know the customer isn't always right, but sometimes- just sometimes- we are.