As a childcare provider, I'm the lucky recipient of many gift cards during Christmas time. I get everything from Jamba Juice to Bath and Body Works. I don't even feel uncomfortable walking into Starbucks anymore.
This year among my booty I got four gift cards to Target and one to Walmart. I hate going to Walmart. Besides the fact that it's further away than I like to drive, I have never had a nice experience there. But I had a gift card! So today after dropping the boys off with some friends at The Jungle, I braved the San Jose store. Ghetto. I hate to be rude, but there you go. I was very glad my kids weren't with me.
As I walked in, I overheard a couple of police officers speaking with a customer and a couple of employees. They were looking over a picture of some kids and discussing the fact that these kids were trouble makers and had been here before. I decided to make this trip as fast as I could. Problem was, the place was so crowded I had a hard time manouvering my cart.
While walking up an isle near bedding, I saw a group of punk teenagers were throwing pillows at each other. One pillow fell to the floor in the middle of the isle. The boys laughed at each other and one kid told the other to pick up the pillow he had just thrown there. No one did. They stepped over it and moved on. The lady next to me rolled her eyes and picked up the pillow.
While looking at some curtains I was debating on whether to buy for my kitchen, a lady walked up to the same curtains, reached over me, and exclaimed to no one in particular, "How much are these?!" She asked as if she was awe-struck by their beauty (the ones she was looking at were pretty hideous, actually). I realized she was actually talking to me much too late to respond, so I ignored her. She didn't leave. She just kept looking at the curtains I was looking at. So I make a quick decision on what I wanted and left.
Then, when I was looking at some thread, another lady walked up behind me, practically pushing my cart aside, chanting "glue, glue, glue, glue".
It was time to leave. Now. I didn't even stop to use the bathroom, even though I'd been needing to go for the last hour. I took my cart and went to the cashier. She didn't even look at me. No "hello, did you find everything you need?" Not even a "have a good day". I swear I could have held a knife up to her and she'd never known it. Did you know the credit card key pad has the question, "was your cashier friendly" on it? I checked the box "no".
Two miles up the road was a Target. I walked in and instantly I knew why I always go to Target instead of Walmart. Friendly employees, normal people, crowded but not stifling.
If I ever get a gift card to Walmart again, you can have it. I don't even care how much it's for, I'm not going there anymore.
4 comments:
1. I'll gladly accept your Wal Mart donation. That's where I do my weekly shopping, and the Orem store is not a scary place.
2. I think you can use Wal Mart gift cards online. And you should ask if you can use them at Sam's Club (do you have one nearby?), since it's the same company.
Happy late Birthday! I HATE Walmart too! Don't go there unless I absolutely have to. They are the rudest employees anywhere! I don't know how they stay in business. I hope you found something nice for yourself. It was a nice gesture for whoever gave you the giftcard.
I should have thought of using them online! I'll do that next time. Or I'll just give them to you. ;) (No, we don't have Sam's Club here.) I guess most people around here who work and shop at Walmart are a lot different from those in Utah?? And yes, it was a very nice gesture from the person who gave it to me. The family is one from my after-school group and they were very thoughtful. I love getting gift cards! :)
You might try the WalMart in Mtn. View or the one at the corner of 880 and 237. But I agree that there are better places to shop.
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