If you know me, you know I'm a pretty mild mannered man. I was brought up to be polite, hold doors open for anyone and say please and thank you. Further to that, my incredible "green" personality means that I'm curious about how things work. I tend to give too much information to people at times but I have found it has helped me more than hinder. Until the last little while. By the way -- this post is NOT about games! :)
The first example is at the movie theaters. In my area, we have something called "The Scene" card. It's a loyalty program that gives you 10% off concessions and eventually, after buying 12,500 regular tickets you get a free admission. Being a person who likes to save time and is also "technology oriented" I usually use those machines to buy my tickets. I swipe my Scene card and get my tickets and I recently bought two combos and received my discount. When you present the "pre-paid" voucher at the Point of Sale (POS) the cashier has always asked me for my Scene card. Why? I think. Then I realize they need to swipe it AGAIN in order to get the transaction total down by 10% to match the value of the concession voucher. If the till says you sold $30 of crap and there is a voucher for $27.... it makes extra work for the bean counters. The first 5 times this happened to me, I had put my Scene card back into my wallet and had to bring it out to present when it was asked for. I finally wised up ... I would bring the card out AHEAD of time to save everyone the grief of me fumbling around in my George Costanza sized wedge that protrudes out of my ass.
SOOOOOOOOO the last time I'm at the theater, I present my card to the little Avril Lavigne look-a-like behind the counter and she looks back at me and says "Are you buying something else because it's too late for me to take this...". HUH? I explain to her that every other time (and I'm talking at least 20-30 times) I've used an ATM voucher I needed my card. "Nope....nope you don't". I explain about the funds not matching. "They fix that in the back". Of course they do. Just don't try and upsize your drink or add a hot dog ... because then the Scene card comes out and a look of horror, shock and confusion will come over the cashier's face as they try and figure out how to take an ATM voucher and cash. It's called SPLIT tender .... 10 years in the POS business will do this too you.
So that wasn't SO bad, only arguing with Avril was not that fun.....so now we go to my constant coffee fix: Tim Horton's. Lately I've had a thing for the Toasted Coconut donut. Don't know why -- I don't ask. As quickly as this fad came on for me, it will go away but for now I like to have one here and there. As far as I know there is only ONE Tim Horton's in the area that carries them. "I'll have a coffee and a toasted coconut donut please" I ask.....I get my coffee and some weird yeast donut with maple topping and then toasted coconut on THAT. NOT what I wanted. So the next time I specify: "and a cake toasted coconut donut". Now ... call me STUPID but I worked as a baker for Mr. Donut when I was a teenager and we made primarily two types of donuts: yeast and cake. I know the difference, why don't they? "What was that?" I heard back on the speaker. A toasted coconut cake donut. So then, I end up with a chocolate cake -- white coconut donut. GEESH!!! So the next time I go back, I get to asking for just "and a toasted coconut donut". Now I am getting "White or chocolate sir?"....ah ha...progress. However, I'm the type that wants to specify to a waitress my "sides" and choices ahead of time to save time and energy for all concerned. So now I say "coffee and a white cake toasted coconut donut". Now I'm getting "Sorry, was that a coconut donut? Filling?".
GRRRRR. I give up. This is why getting an apple fritter is easier, it's hard to screw up what you are asking for. Or skip the donuts, it's what I should be doing in the first place.
