Life There are certain times when you wonder to what limits you can consciously and rightly be an asshole in particular situations. Those moments when it's the difference between being polite and being a doormat. I'm in Boots at lunchtime buying my meal deal. I hand over the points card, the assistant puts it through. I pay for lunch and walk away. I check the bill to see how many points I'm up to and I notice that the card hasn't been updated and that the eleven earned haven't gone on. My mind makes those split second rationalisations. Well it's eleven points. That eleven pence. That means I could have gone anywhere for my lunch. Is it worth going back. Well, it's the principal. Oh gahd.
I queue up again (it's not that long -- if it had been long I really would not have bothered). I go the next assistant.
"The points didn't go on." I'm expecting that she'll just drop them back on. She looks at the receipt.
"It's not validated. I can't put then on."
It's at this stage the asshole equation comes into play. I'm going to have to argue. Is it worth arguing for eleven pence? Is it the principal of the thing or do I not want to be a doormat? And if it is the principal have I turned a corner and turned into some moaning old bloke? Does it matter? I take a deep breath. I don't raise my voice.
"But you see gave her my card. She scanned it. I paid for lunch and the points haven't gone on. I'd like my eleven points, please."
She turns to her colleague.
"What can I do about this?"
"You'll have to speak to [insert Manager's name]."
The assistant doesn't make eye contact. She gets up and walks away to the other end of the shop. I'm still standing at the till, and the same questions keep drifting through my mind. Was it worth arguing over eleven pence? Was it the principal of the thing or did I not want to be a doormat? And if it was the principal have I turned a corner and turned into some moaning old bloke. Have I in fact become the asshole customer I've always despised? The assistant returns with a key, which puts in the side of the till and turns. She puts my card in, scans my receipt, the points go on and she thanks me for my time.
Of course in retrospect, this whole situation probably created more angst for than it did for her. It probably happens all the time and now and then someone does stand their ground, which is why in fact they can still add those points even if the receipt isn't validated. But I'm still asking myself the question. What kind of a person am I that with everything that's happening in the world that I'd stand my ground over eleven points on a Boots Advantage card. How low can I go?
Talk about turning a corner...
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