Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns.

Now that I've completely overstated the situation in the title with use of a Breakfast Club quote, please allow me to tell you about a pet peeve of mine... store policies which go against the goal of the people who put them in place. In this instance, a local grocer placed huge piles of $10 coupons in nearby buildings. I grabbed a handful as I occasionally shop at the over-priced store due to its proximity to our place. I go often enough that most of the cashiers and the guys behind the deli recognize me and J Bean. I headed out last night to grab a few things. It's not really a long walk, but it has been frigid this week. With wind chill in the negatives, any walk seems life a hike. I arrived at the store to find I managed to make it with my list (unusual occurrence), but I had not remembered my coupon (shocker...). I discreetly grabbed the attention of a familiar clerk and asked him if I could possibly get the discount without the coupon being that I had half a dozen of them at home and, as I mentioned, they had literally put out hundreds of them. He informed me that he would need the actual coupon and added cheerily "we'll be here until midnight, so take your time". Well, I don't want to take my time, I came out with a list in hand and want to be done with this chore so I headed home to get the coupon ($10 is worth a short, cold walk when your family has only one income).

I decided I would achieve vengeance by bringing along an extra half-dozen coupons and I had a great time handing them out to other customers as I shopped. It made me feel quite a bit better about making the walk and it was fun to spread some neighborly cheer. The customers were grateful, but I have to imagine the owner would be more than a little perturbed at the short-sightedness of the clerk. The discounts were designed to bring in happy customers to spend money and to make sure the store is on our radar. Having me walk through the snow to get a coupon any jerk could print up at home kind of missed the mark though, and ultimately cost them an extra fifty or sixty dollars. I'm not bitter, but as they say - revenge is a dish best served cold - and it was real cold on that walk back to the store.