Stupid is as stupid does… Part II

I work in the IT field.  I have a large batch of equipment that we leased for three years and now it has to be de-installed, erased, packed, and shipped back.  I run out of bubble wrap in the office so I start a search for more.  I remember that there is a “UPS Store” down the street.  It is pouring rain, but they are the closest place to the office that may have bubble wrap for sale.  Just to be safe, I call ahead to see.  The conversation goes like this:

UPS: “Hello.  UPS Store.”
ME: “Do y’all sell bubble-wrap?”
UPS: “Yeah.”
ME: “How much is it? What size?”
UPS: “Well, ummm… The small package is like $3.50 and then we have like big rolls.  They are $29.. I mean $39.99.”
ME: “What size roll?”
UPS: “It’s like a foot by like 200 feet or something like that, um…”
ME: “Great.  That’s just what I need.  I’m on my way.”
UPS:  “Ummm… okay.”

So I drive down in the pouring rain.  Find a parking spot, run for the door.  Make it inside.  Place is empty.  One little high-school drop-out looking kid at the counter.”

ME: “I just called about the bubble-wrap.  I need the large roll we talked about.”  (At this point I notice that there are two large rolls of the stuff mounted on the walls behind said employee.)
UPS: “Okay.  Just a sec.”  (He walks to the back.  I see a man sitting at a desk in the back look around the wall at me and say something to the counter urchin.)
UPS:  “Uhh.. We are out.  But we have a truck coming and it should be here anytime today.”
ME:  I just stand and stare.   First at the kid, then the manager in the back, and then the two large rolls of bubble wrap on the wall.  I start to ask questions, but then I realize that they obviously don’t want my business anyway.  I mumble something about the reason I called ahead to make sure they had it and walk out the door.

:SIGH: