And How Was Your Morning? (or, one more reason why I hate shopping at Target)

Target is one of those stores that I just hate to go into to. Sure, the place is usually clean and organized enough, and almost never crowded. I assume this last point is because I'm not alone in my hesitancy to shop there.

Basically, as a place to shop, Target is nice.
But, as a place to buy stuff, Target generally sucks.
They don't have anything. Shelves, long aisles of full shelves, with nothing on them that I want.

And that is why I avoid the place. I'm a Wal*Mart guy. I can buy stuff there (and get my oil changed at the same time.)

So, I should have known things were not going to go as planned this morning. I woke up early and headed out to do some yard work. I was out of beer, and would need to get some.
The wife suggested, since I was headed that way... (not really, but it's The Wife, ya know) that I stop at Walgreen's (in a different direction) and get my beer there while I pick those pictures she ordered.

O.K. No problem.

Got the pictures, but Walgreen's didn't have beer (yet). (It's a newer store. "Beer is coming", they say.)

As I'm leaving Walgreen's for the liquor store the wife calls and 'reminds' me to pick up her prescription, requiring me to re-park and re-enter Walgreen's (and now you know why I try to avoid carrying a cell phone).
And the ATM at the drug counter is down. Not wanting to wait in the longer line, I fork out my beer cash. Target, with it's empty parking lot and lack of customers, is just right across the street, next to Home Depot, where I can pick up those sprinkler heads I was gonna replace next weekend.
And they got beer.
Lot's of beer.
There I can use the ATM, and be out in a hurry, saving me a couple extra miles to the liquor store...
...as the phone rings again when Wife requests that I pick up milk since I'm going to be at Target, anyway... ('member what I said about cell phones?).

At Home Depot, pick up two sprinkler heads in just a few quick minutes...
and then to Target, where I can finally get that beer I had originally left the house for.

I grab the milk, two cold six's, and head straight for checkout.
I'm moving fast now...
already losing patience with the whole morning, and it's barely nine o'clock.

"May I see your I.D.?"
I look up at the snot-nose behind the counter. "Huh?"
"I need to see your I.D... For the beer."
"No you don't."
"Sorry,Sir. Store policy."
"Sorry Son, I don't have it." (I left it at home)
"Then I can't ring you up"
"Says who?"
"I can't. It's built into the system. I have to swipe your I.D. in order to ring up the sale."
"Call your supervisor."
"He can't over ride it, either. He's right there."
Supervisor comes over and explains the facts of life to to me. He's real nice about it. Genuinely regretful. Nobody, not even the store manager, has the means to over ride the system for alcohol purchases. It's all set up from corporate, and it's a lame idea (his words).

They ring up the milk. I swipe the ATM, and get beer cash.
Looks like I'm headed back in the original opposite direction to get what it was I had left the house for in the first place.

And proving my point: Target has nothing for me to buy even when they do. Screw those people. I hate that store.

Finally, I get home. Got beer, and pictures, and prescriptions, and ... oops...
In my harried mood, I had left the milk back at Target, sitting on the counter.
Hell, they can keep it.
I'm not going back.
Ever.

Wife greets me at the door:
"Thank you, Honey. Did you get the milk?"
"Sorry, Baby. They didn't have any."