Ah, the cool breezes of September, the first few days with a high only in the 80′s, this is a sweet time. It has been a good summer, we discovered neighborhood pools, the library and Tuesday family nights at Chick-fil-A with the indoor playscape and a very nice manager who didn’t even seem to mind that time when Sparkles peed where she shouldn’t have . Bye, bye, summer, see you next year.
I’m on a mission to find shoes for Sparkles. She likes dressy, sparkly shoes, like these from Target, but I’m more for an everyday shoe that doesn’t give her blisters and stays on her feet when she runs. Every woman has to answer this question for herself – what is the right balance between good-looking and comfortable shoes?
But, there is hope. Her friend at day care is wearing a brand new pair of Skecher’s sneakers with velcro instead of laces, pink all over with Elmo on the side, and Sparkles loves them. I find out from the kid’s Mom where she got the shoes and call the store for directions. The clerk says the store is at 360 and Bee Caves road across from Abuelo’s Mexican restaurant. I drive to 360 and Bee Caves road and don’t see an Abuelo’s restaurant or a the store, so I give them a call and this is the conversation that followed…
Me: Hello! I’m at 360 and Bee Caves and I can’t see your store. Can you tell me where you are?
Clerk: I don’t know where 360 and Bee Caves is.
Me: Hmmm. Well, why don’t you just give me directions then?
Clerk: Where are you coming from?
Me: (I’m pretty sure I’m still at Bee Caves and 360, but I will try to keep this simple and pick the easiest location of all that everyone will know.) Give me directions from downtown.
Clerk: I don’t know where that is. Are you near I35? I know I35.
Me: I35? If you are anywhere near where I think you are, you aren’t anywhere near I35. (I try to think of the easiest possible question.) Do you know what part of town you are in?
Clerk: No, not really. Well, we are definitely on Mopac.
Me: (Mopac?) OK, can you give me directions from Mopac?
Clerk: No. I just know how to get here from my house.
Me: So, you are on Mopac, but you can’t give me directions from Mopac? (#$%#$%!)
Clerk: Right.
Me: I would like to talk to your manager.
Clerk: OK. (Relieved.)
Manager: Hello.
Me: I am trying to get directions to your store and your clerks don’t seem to know where you are located or how to get there. Can you help me?
Manager: Yes, we are in Barton Creek Mall across from the food court.
Barton Creek Mall? You mean one of the largest malls in town, at one of the most major highway intersections in town, 360 and Mopac? Neither clerk thought to mention that the store was in the mall?
I might be old fashioned, but I think it would be helpful if a clerk could help customers find the store since spending money there requires actually being there.
It was too late to make it there that night. Elmo will have to wait. Be patient Elmo and Sparkles, y’all will get together soon.
Thanks to everyone for entering the first ever GrowingUpAustin.com giveaway! Using the random number generator at random.org and the Facebook Fan list, the winner is…….Suzanne Perreault! Thanks for playing! (More giveaways coming soon!)
