I have a sense of almost loss when I have to replace my wheelchair gloves. I wear them until a finger pops through the material ... and then go in search of another pair. Last time I bought four pairs of gloves when I found a kind I liked. I thought they would last forever. They didn't. Yesterday after work Joe and I went looking at an enormous Target store near our hotel.
The store is V --- A --- S --- T and I had to have Joe help me make some of the long distances. We went through all the menswear section looking for suspenders (or as the Brits call them 'braces' - a distinction that caused me much embarrassment once when it was pointed out that suspenders are something very different overseas) which I also needed. We couldn't find any and then decided to go look for gloves.
Just as we came out into the main aisle, a woman came along who was clearly a Target staff. Instead of rolling all over this VAST store we asked her where we could find gloves. She paused, then asked, 'What kind of gloves?' A fair question. I held up my hands, in gloves, so she could see what they were. I said, 'I used them to push my wheelchair.'
'We don't sell wheelchair gloves,' she said.
Oh.
'Well do you sell gloves that one could use to push wheelchairs,' I asked
Oh.
That they sold.
8 comments:
Oh my. I wish this didn't make me laugh. You tell it so well.
Is it bad that this post made me snort-laugh? Sorry, Dave.
Hee hee - as a Brit I had to have a little giggle over the thought of you asking for suspenders ;-)
What ARE suspenders in Britain?
Suspenders are what might be known as a garter belt I think. I can link to some pictures if anyone is still not clear!
That might be TMI, Jim. I think I have the mental image....
Wasn't there a scene in a movie where the guy (may have been Jack Nicholson...not sure) wanted toast - but they didn't do toast after a certain hour. Yet the toasted BLT was toasted. No negotiation - waitress stood firm. So he ordered a BLT - hold the mayo, bacon, lettuce and tomato. Geesh - you gotta wonder...thanks for the smile. Right on the target!!!
I have to say that I have a certain sympathy for the shop assistant. She may have thought that "wheelchair gloves" were a specialist type and didn't want to claim they stocked them when they didn't.
Imagine if an assistant tried to give you a pair of gloves that you could use for playing golf rather than a golf glove.
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