I’m starting to get a little concerned that I’ve developed a bit of a Midas touch.
Remember that big red pick-em-up truck we bought a few weeks back? The dealership sent us a check over the weekend to refund some sort of sales tax mis-calculation. Today, I get a mystery check from the bank, apparently to rectify an overpayment of the old car loan.
Last week, blind luck led us to pull the one standing rib roast from the meat case that didn’t have a bar code printed on the price sticker. The roast was on sale. In big letters, it said “YOU SAVE $55.63” and to the right of that is “PRICE $99.42” (Hey, it was a seven-bone roast and we only go that nuts once a year, and we were expecting to feed six adults) Because the thing had no UPC, (perhaps their in-store coding can’t go that high?) the cashier had to key in the price by hand. Unknown to us, she keyed $55.63.
Tonight, I finally get around to visiting the store where I bought my plasma TV to do a post-sale price match. On Black Friday, they were selling the TV for $400 more than the place down the road. On BF, they also had the TV in stock, and the cheaper place didn’t. So, I order the TV on their website for in-store pickup, confident that they’ll match the price, plus 10% of the difference if I bring them the lower price within 30 days. I almost brought that ad along when I went to pick up the TV. I’m sure glad I didn’t.
I find my way to the TV department and wait. And wait and wait. Someone with the appearance of part-time seasonal help shows up and is clueless at the concept of a price match. They summon someone else, who eventually arrives and they tell the first cashier what to do. They fuddle their way through, with much beeping from the register, and looking at the newspaper ad from the other store. The beeping stops and they say they need a manager. One of those materializes, flashes their super-secret Manager Override card at the register and promptly evaporates. The register spits out a receipt. In one smooth motion, the cashier reaches out, tears off the receipt and hands it to me. They might be cute, cheerful and clueless, but they’re a wiz at giving receipts. They say that I’ll get the credit on my Visa card in a few days. I thank them, collect my original invoice and the newspaper ad and leave the register area.
I look at the receipt. I pray that the little reptilian core of my brain keeps me moving smoothly forward and keeps my mouth shut while my eyes absorb the numbers printed on that slip of paper. That’s right, there you go, left foot, right foot, left foot, don’t walk into that stack of microwave ovens, right foot…
They misread that ad in ways I had never dreamed of. I bought the TV from that store for $2599.99. The other store with the Black Friday sale had it for $2199.99. They also had a much smaller TV from the same manufacturer on sale for $1199.99. The cashier entered the price match and the manager gave their override. They just sold me a 50" plasma HDTV for more than half off.
For $2600, it’s a very nice TV. For $2200 it’s a really nice TV. For $1200, it’s the BEST TV IN THE WORLD!
I’m either going to top this feat in some five-figure fashion with the mortgage, or it’s all going to collapse on me and the guy is going to say I need a new furnace. I’d be happy to have neither happen - this rash of unexpected checks and crazy discounts has me concerned.
Oh, and I have kids here who would love to exchange flying eggs…
You’re in my thoughts, if that helps. I am alone (well, with teenagers, one with The Sick, so I might as well be alone. I’ve not got The Sick, but I am in my phase of the moon, and so have been feeling logey. Feel better soon!
