Pookah
Well-known member
I swear every time I leave the house something goes wrong in spectacular sitcomy fashion.
I finally saved enough to replace my tires. So today I prepared myself to go out into the world (go to Sears auto center at the mall.) When I got there at first it went pretty smoothly. Except the little old mechanic jested that my brakes (month old) were squeaky and my old tires looked like they came from pep boys.
Though I tried to tell the sales associate I knew what tires I wanted, they took my femaleness and nervous SA tendencies as reasons to go over the tire selection. I ended up with the ones I wanted anyway, as they weren't overly expensive and the cheaper ones wouldn't have served his commission quite so well. I got suckered into full alignment and a roadside damage warranty package though of course.
He proceeded to tell me the wait was one hour, at 10am this meant 11am....but he said "probably by lunchtime." Er wait that's two hours isn't it? Apparently one hour means two in mall-world.
I wandered to the nearest book store but not before being accosted by one of those manicure kiosk salespeople. I tried valiantly to veer away but my inability to argue myself out of things got in the way of my sharp turn into Border's. So he takes my sweaty shaky hands and starts buffing one of my nails whilst I try to say I don't care for manicures, I like books better. Besides I just dropped $600 for tires I don't have money for $30 hand lotions. He is one of those aggressive sellers, however, and I can't break free until he has pleaded his whole case (whilst rubbing lotion onto my hand) and I finally say "err I really am not looking to buy any of this right now," and bolted into the sanctuary of books.
(The guy contradicted himself a few times trying to say he would lower the price by not taking commission which "he never does." But he said today was his first day?....and when I said maybe I'll come back another day he said he might not be there. )
I hid there for a while since his kiosk was right outside. That was pleasant enough...I browsed through the manga and fiction. I settled on buying the first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, recommended by NathanielWingatePeaslee.
Then I went to the extreme opposite side of the exit across from where the kiosk was and took a sharp turn swiftly into the mall. I went and sat where I figured no one else would (but of course someone sits right next to where I am even though there were couches a bit further away.) I read whilst feeling watched by some woman bouncing/looking at her foot while she sat. Which was distracting.
When it was nearing twelve I decided to walk back to Sears. I went downstairs then walked all the way back to another set of steps to go back up right in front of the Sears entrance. (This was to completely avoid touchy feely aggressive kiosk guy.)
Stood in line for a while, got taken to one counter only to have to move to another since it wouldn't swipe cards. When I did encounter sweet freedom in the parking lot it was short lived because I couldn't locate my key. I had taken it off the ring to leave with the auto center and he had handed it to me when I checked out, but he has also stopped me to sign another thing and I had dropped it. I had to go back in and get it from them a second time. -_- Though this was after freaking out searching my car/pockets/purse and calling home to have a panic attack on my brother.
So.....that was my day so far. Had to type it up to expend some of the adrenaline. So sorry if you read the whole thing. lol
I finally saved enough to replace my tires. So today I prepared myself to go out into the world (go to Sears auto center at the mall.) When I got there at first it went pretty smoothly. Except the little old mechanic jested that my brakes (month old) were squeaky and my old tires looked like they came from pep boys.
Though I tried to tell the sales associate I knew what tires I wanted, they took my femaleness and nervous SA tendencies as reasons to go over the tire selection. I ended up with the ones I wanted anyway, as they weren't overly expensive and the cheaper ones wouldn't have served his commission quite so well. I got suckered into full alignment and a roadside damage warranty package though of course.
He proceeded to tell me the wait was one hour, at 10am this meant 11am....but he said "probably by lunchtime." Er wait that's two hours isn't it? Apparently one hour means two in mall-world.
I wandered to the nearest book store but not before being accosted by one of those manicure kiosk salespeople. I tried valiantly to veer away but my inability to argue myself out of things got in the way of my sharp turn into Border's. So he takes my sweaty shaky hands and starts buffing one of my nails whilst I try to say I don't care for manicures, I like books better. Besides I just dropped $600 for tires I don't have money for $30 hand lotions. He is one of those aggressive sellers, however, and I can't break free until he has pleaded his whole case (whilst rubbing lotion onto my hand) and I finally say "err I really am not looking to buy any of this right now," and bolted into the sanctuary of books.
(The guy contradicted himself a few times trying to say he would lower the price by not taking commission which "he never does." But he said today was his first day?....and when I said maybe I'll come back another day he said he might not be there. )
I hid there for a while since his kiosk was right outside. That was pleasant enough...I browsed through the manga and fiction. I settled on buying the first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, recommended by NathanielWingatePeaslee.
Then I went to the extreme opposite side of the exit across from where the kiosk was and took a sharp turn swiftly into the mall. I went and sat where I figured no one else would (but of course someone sits right next to where I am even though there were couches a bit further away.) I read whilst feeling watched by some woman bouncing/looking at her foot while she sat. Which was distracting.
When it was nearing twelve I decided to walk back to Sears. I went downstairs then walked all the way back to another set of steps to go back up right in front of the Sears entrance. (This was to completely avoid touchy feely aggressive kiosk guy.)
Stood in line for a while, got taken to one counter only to have to move to another since it wouldn't swipe cards. When I did encounter sweet freedom in the parking lot it was short lived because I couldn't locate my key. I had taken it off the ring to leave with the auto center and he had handed it to me when I checked out, but he has also stopped me to sign another thing and I had dropped it. I had to go back in and get it from them a second time. -_- Though this was after freaking out searching my car/pockets/purse and calling home to have a panic attack on my brother.
So.....that was my day so far. Had to type it up to expend some of the adrenaline. So sorry if you read the whole thing. lol