# Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 9, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726 "2006-03-09T19:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/1 "2006-03-09T19:26:02Z")
…I need a favor. We picked up some wooden letters in the craft department of our local Wal-Mart back in October. We got the letters to spell out B-A-B-Y and put them up in the nursery for our (at the time) gender-unknown baby. After the baby was born, we decided to get the letters to spell out her name (Shayla) instead. Well, the B’s were no longer useful, but we could recycle the A and the Y, so I headed back to Wal-Mart to pick up the others. Well, I was able to buy most of them (H-A-L, coincidentally) but they didn’t have an S. They didn’t have an S in November, and that hook remains empty to this day. Repeated requests, ranging from “I humbly beseech thee, please reorder your S’s”, to “_Still_ no fricking S’s?? What the hell is with you people?!” seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Trips to three other Wal-Marts have proven fruitless. Here’s where you come in. If you happen to be in your local Wal-Mart, can I get you to take a peek in the craft department and see if they have an S (they’ll be unpainted in the store) in [this font](http://www.sirblah.com/photo/view.php?album=Misc/Temp&pic=letters.JPG&picindex=0), please? It’s hard to tell from the pic, but they’re 7" high. I’ll happily reimburse you and take care of shipping and all that. I’d just love to get this project done before it turns into a college graduation present for my daughter. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/2 "2006-03-09T19:50:57Z")
Why not just change her name to Abby? ---
**Author:** ![simply\_cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@simply\_cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simply_cats)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/3 "2006-03-09T19:56:50Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > …I need a favor. We picked up some wooden letters in the craft department of our local Wal-Mart back in October. We got the letters to spell out B-A-B-Y and put them up in the nursery for our (at the time) gender-unknown baby. After the baby was born, we decided to get the letters to spell out her name (Shayla) instead. > > Well, the B’s were no longer useful, but we could recycle the A and the Y, so I headed back to Wal-Mart to pick up the others. Well, I was able to buy most of them (H-A-L, coincidentally) but they didn’t have an S. They didn’t have an S in November, and that hook remains empty to this day. Repeated requests, ranging from “I humbly beseech thee, please reorder your S’s”, to “_Still_ no fricking S’s?? What the hell is with you people?!” seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Trips to three other Wal-Marts have proven fruitless. Here’s where you come in. > > If you happen to be in your local Wal-Mart, can I get you to take a peek in the craft department and see if they have an S (they’ll be unpainted in the store) in [this font](http://www.sirblah.com/photo/view.php?album=Misc/Temp&pic=letters.JPG&picindex=0), please? It’s hard to tell from the pic, but they’re 7" high. I’ll happily reimburse you and take care of shipping and all that. I’d just love to get this project done before it turns into a college graduation present for my daughter. > > Thanks! I’m going to Walmart after school; I will look and see if they have an S 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/4 "2006-03-09T20:04:56Z")
Hal, if Wal-Marts and other shoppers fail you I can try and make the letter out of Pine if you provide the Pattern of the S. I have a router bit that should fairly match the pattern and the Band saw and Scroll saw required to make the S. It would be an interesting challenge. Let me know. Jim ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/5 "2006-03-09T20:04:59Z")
> [@samm](#): > > Why not just change her name to Abby? Or, they could turn the b’s upside down and spell “happy.” No, wait – forgot to mind my p’s and q’s there… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/6 "2006-03-09T20:08:39Z")
> [@samm](#): > > Why not just change her name to Abby? Darn it, that was going to be my suggestion. -Abby ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/7 "2006-03-09T20:09:31Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Or, they could turn the b’s upside down and spell “happy.” > > No, wait – forgot to mind my p’s and q’s there… 😉 You worked hard for that joke. It was worth it 😃 Jim ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/8 "2006-03-09T20:26:28Z")
I can’t help, but can someone tell me why these joints don’t order more of the more popular letters? Oh…yeah…there’s always a fucking Q. But S? Not a chance. The S is a very popular letter. they should order 5 times as many. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/9 "2006-03-09T20:30:40Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I can’t help, but can someone tell me why these joints don’t order more of the more popular letters? Oh…yeah…there’s always a fucking Q. But S? Not a chance. The S is a very popular letter. they should order 5 times as many. I hear they have plenty of Bort License Plates. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/10 "2006-03-09T21:48:10Z")
I work at a store that sells little ones with animals on them. We’re always out of “A.” I keep telling the buyer to order five times as many as she thinks she needs, but no to avail. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/11 "2006-03-09T22:07:18Z")
Or change her name to Hal. > [@Kalhoun](#): > > I can’t help, but can someone tell me why these joints don’t order more of the more popular letters? Oh…yeah…there’s always a fucking Q. But S? Not a chance. The S is a very popular letter. they should order 5 times as many. I wonder if they can. It might be one of those deals where they have to order a whole package of various letters. That’s savings they can pass on to you. ---
**Author:** ![Kuizelemartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19b73/32.png) [@Kuizelemartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuizelemartz)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/12 "2006-03-09T22:35:09Z")
I bet ya a box of donuts I can find a silly S. I’ll be in 7 Walmarts over the next 45 days. I’ll keep my eyes peeled. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/13 "2006-03-09T22:37:44Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I can’t help, but can someone tell me why these joints don’t order more of the more popular letters? Oh…yeah…there’s always a fucking Q. But S? Not a chance. The S is a very popular letter. they should order 5 times as many. _denis leary hijack_ “NyQuil, NyQuil, NyQuil… We love you, you giant fucking Q!” _end denis leary hijack_ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/14 "2006-03-09T22:42:22Z")
Hal, you better be careful, you are going to end up with 5 7" S’s instead of 1. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/15 "2006-03-09T23:03:03Z")
Hell… I’m not doing anything right now and I haven’t been to WalMart in over a year. I’ll go check it out right now. I’ll come back in about an hour and post my results… ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/16 "2006-03-09T23:55:57Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Hal, you better be careful, you are going to end up with 5 7" S’s instead of 1. 'Eh…then I’ll paint the others in different colors, make necklaces out of them, and tell people her full name is “Shalya Shav”. Anyway…thanks much for keeping an eye out, folks! If nothing comes out of it, then I’ll see if I can come up with a pattern, Jim. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/17 "2006-03-10T00:02:46Z")
That was easy!!! Email me your address. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/18 "2006-03-10T00:23:24Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I work at a store that sells little ones with animals on them. We’re always out of “A.” I keep telling the buyer to order five times as many as she thinks she needs, but no to avail. I’m sure it’s the same reason they’re always out of size medium T-shirts: people are idiots. I attempted to buy a medium T-shirt one time from a local dance venue. They were out. I tried a few weeks later. They were out. I asked when they might be getting another batch. “Oh, we just got a batch. We probably won’t get more for a while, because the mediums sell so quickly.” Yes. You heard that right. _Because_ they sell so quickly, they wouldn’t be ordering more. Can’t have that merchandise just flying off the shelves, now. They’d look so plain. ---
**Author:** ![Kuizelemartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19b73/32.png) [@Kuizelemartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuizelemartz)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/19 "2006-03-10T00:25:28Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > That was easy!!! Email me your address. 😃 Showoff! ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726/20 "2006-03-10T00:32:32Z")
Crap, wait… are you sure about that 7"? This was the biggest one there - labeled “Large” - and it’s only 6"… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-wal-mart-shoppers/347726.md?page=2)