Shopping

The day before my birthday, Marty announced, "I'm going to Target."

"Oh?! What are you getting?"

"It's a secret!"

Over 2 hours later he finally came home with a single bag. Not from Target.

He got me a back massaging pillow. It was nice, and I liked it pretty well, but the problem was that I saw the receipt first. And for that much money, a back massaging pillow wasn't what I wanted. So I asked Marty if it'd be OK if I took it back.

A couple days later I tried to take it back, but because I didn't have the instruction manual, the sales clerk wouldn't even consider taking it back.

"It came with instructions?" I asked. I certainly hadn't seen them. And considering that it had a single button to push and a power cord that plugs into the wall, I didn't find it too complex to figure out even without instructions. But she insisted, "We can't accept it without instructions because we can't sell them without them."

And then she threw in, "Plus, if you don't have the exact card it was purchased with we can't do the return."

OK. I'd have to come back another time--with the instruction manual and Marty.

That night I looked all over for the mysterious instruction manual. Nowhere to be found. I concluded that somehow they'd manage to sell one without instructions.

The next day, I went to their online store and found a PDF of the instruction manual. With a printer that will print in booklet format, some creative stapling, and a paper cutter, I created a beautiful replica of that oh-so-important instruction manual. In fact, when I showed Marty he said, "Great, you found it!"

"Nope. I made it."

Marty and I went back to the mall. This time the sales-person deemed the item returnable and asked for Marty's card it was purchased on and ID. After a minute or so she also asked for a phone number. "You need my phone number for me to return something?"

"Yes, I can't process the return without one."

"What about people who don't have a phone?"

"A work number? Everyone has a phone number they can give."

Marty gave his phone number but took that last statement as a challenge...who did he know who didn't have a phone--personal or work? And so for the rest of the time that it took to process the return he told me (of course, loudly enough to be heard at the register) people that he knows without phones. It was kind of funny.

And then we were off to find me a birthday present. We looked at watches, but there wasn't one that I loved. So we looked at the jewelry in the neighboring displays.

Marty asked, "Do you like silver?"

"Yes."

He took my hand and we went to a store on the other end of the mall. He pointed to a necklace and said, "Do you like that?"Apparently he'd spent 30 minutes in this store the other night when he first when out to get my gift--and he'd almost gotten the necklace in question but didn't becuase he wasn't sure if I'd like it. Turns out I do. So that's what he got me.

On our way back to the car we stopped at one of those little photo booths.

In all, that night shopping at the mall was a great birthday present in itself. Plus, I have souvenirs--a picture and a necklace.