Not Enough Time in A Day

Free time? Yeah, right. As a working mother, there are simply not enough hours in a day. We run errands before work, during lunch and on our way home. We do laundry at 6 AM, and unload the dishwasher while we wait for a bagel, that we chomp down on the way to work, to toast. Often, it burns.

Here's a typical week: Monday, I drop papers off at bank on way to work. Husband drops off paycheck, because the direct deposit didn't work, so I spend lunch running to a different bank, and avoiding construction to get back on-time. Then, rush home to cook two nights of dinner, in preparation of a manic Tuesday. Clean up dishes, help one son do 5th grade homework and study vocabulary with my 15 year old.  Goodnight moon!

Tuesday, another trip to drop off forms at the bank in the morning, and then cram in a one-hour orthodontist appointment that ends at 6:35 pm (and the grumpy ride home that lands me at my home at 6:59 PM when I have to be at the school at 7) before an evening of Back-to-School that ends at at 8:50 pm. No time for the drive-through McDonald's shake for the sore-mouthed child, so I loose some Mommy points on that. Kids eat leftovers, mom has cereal for dinner. 

Wednesday I spend morning drive dealing with health insurance issues. Wednesday night I rush home, fill out insurance election forms, instrument rental forms, do more laundry and studying, and two hours on the phone trying to reach customer service at a bank.

Thursday I have an epiphany that I should use my free time doing some freelance work. So after dinner, and a thwarted attempt to replace the pantry door, which resulted in a pulled calf muscle,  I plant myself at the computer and begin research, sign up for several sites and begin submitting work.

Oh and I ordered a big "S" logo to attach to the front of my best black tee-shirt, if I can find a few minutes for the ironing!

Big chains need to beware, that their employees may not be representing their real mission statements. Today I went into a major drugstore chain with a toner cartridge I had purchased there several months ago. I no longer had the receipt and expected to exchange it for a toner for a different printer, which I knew was more expensive. When I went to the department, I no longer saw the brand on the shelf, so I patiently waited on line and explained to the cashier my dilemma. She called a floor manager to help me. The gentleman scanned the item and told me it was $16.99, but it was no longer carried, which I had seen when I went to the shelf. I asked if I could exchange it and he said yes. While I was browsing the shelf for the correct toner, he came up behind and said that the store NEVER carried that brand and I must have brought it elsewhere.

I mentioned, "but you scanned it and told me how much it was." He said, "we don't carry it and never did." Again I said, "but you scanned it and told me how much it was." He said "Maybe you bought it at another Walgreen's, but not here and I won't take it back."

As I left, I mentioned, how I was a regular customer, and that I was prepared to spend additional money, and was looking for a store credit- not cash. He was abrupt and adamant, as if I did something wrong. I walked to my car, and called my son... so I did not pull out immediately. As I turned around, he was yelling at my car... and startled me. "Come back inside, I will return it," he yelled nastily." I said, "I have to go home, my son is home alone." Now he is yelling that I NEED to come back and return the item.  Now, I was adamant that I was not leaving my car.

I am not sure what transpired, when I left the store, but even in trying to make amends for being wrong, he was disrespectful. What happened to customer relations?
 

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