callistra | Yesterday (Reply)

So, I walk inside, it has an annoying froggy thing which croaks when people walk through the door. That's cool. There's an area of wedding cakes and an area of the tools you use to make the cakes and stuff. I've been meaning to get to this shop for the past three or so weeks, panting over it even, especially since we saw "The Icing Man Cometh" episode of Good Eats (Alton Brown.) So, a panting in I go. (Doncha love my turns of phrase some days?)

Frog croaks, and this old guy (60 plus easily) comes out, and says "Oh, do you need any help?" So I say 'No thanks, I am just looking." So then he leans against the counter and starts staring at the floor.

On the outside of the counter. Not doing anything. Staring at the floor.

I look at a cake or two.

He's just staring at the floor.

I look at another cake. He's still staring at the floor. I'm starting to get annoyed, because it feels like he is staring at me every time I look at a cake, as if he is waiting for me to start trying to steal everything in sight. Well, fuck him and the horse he rode in on. I look at some more cakes. I then go to the book section. He's not even changed position. He's still staring at the floor, leaning against the counter. I carefully, slowly, and excrutiatingly go through each book. I'm really pissed off by now, how the hell can I browse with him obviously waiting for me to steal everything? So, to be a pain, I take longer on everything. I go through the cake tins. I go through the cake stands. The icing sugar mixes. Tiny little shape cutters.

He's still staring at the floor. I'm sorry, but no floor, regardless of how old and horrible the carpet is, is worth 20 - 25 minutes of your time.

As I finally go through the last rack, he finally moves. He goes and stands in the door way so he can have a cigarette.

So, I figure John must be coming close by now anyway, I've seen some cool stuff but I'm so pissed about him staring at me for my entire browsing experience that I just don't want to come here ever again. I'm so annoyed, that I'm trying to find a way to say to him "You've lost my custom. And I'm sad because there's a lot of stuff here I wanted." So, as I leave, I turn to him and say "Do you realise, that the entire time I was looking at stuff in there, you made me feel like you were waiting for me to steal something?" Now, even for me, this is a charged moment. I don't like to confront people about things, I'd much rather just never come again. However, ...

His response is that "Oh, people often have questions and stuff, and if I'm not there then they go "aren't you serving??""

I just threw my hands in the air to indicate I think that's a poor excuse and left.

I mean, seriously. He stood, leaning against the counter, and stared at the floor. He was previously in a small room in the back. It's NOT a large shop. If I had questions, I could have said "Hello? Hello? Just wondering...." And if he was truly worried that people would think he was "not serving" then why not have a book ready and sit behind the counter and look like he was working, busy, reading, ANYTHING AT ALL OTHER THAN STARING AT ME WAITING FOR ME TO STEAL EVERYTHING??? And he could have stared at me waiting for me to steal everything for as long as he liked and I would not have given a stuff.

The stuff inthe shop I wanted:
The original WW cake cookbook. I went through it, it has heaps more cakes in it than the current version.
Cake boards. At least a couple. Maybe even three or four.
Flyers on local cake clubs.
Icing sugar shape cutters.
Cake tins

I could have spent $50 easily. I would also have been a repeat customer. I wanted to ask a question about another product, but I was too annoyed at feeling like a thief in progress that I would never ask. How am I supposed to feel comfortable enough to ask stupid questions in that sort of environment?

So. Do you think I am being harsh?

Unfortunately for me, I'm the one who will lose out. It's in maddington, has a huge number of fantastic looking cake tins for hire (did you know they cost as little as $3 or $4 for a few days?) as well as tools, ingredients and knowledge. They miss out because they don't get my sales. So now I have a huge mental issue that I either need to get over, or ignore. I could wait six months and only set foot in the shop when the woman's there. Or wait six months and be rude every time I go in there to buy something. Or else find another shop in Perth, and start a good dialogue with them. :-)

A present! Mum rings me, and says "That thing you wear, what's it called?" So I go "It's a Venus of Willendorf," otherwise known as a fat chick on a string." She goes "I'll be over in a sec." I'm thinking ack, mother's spent two days with her best friend all alone in bunno, and something's happened and she's going to tackle me about my religious choices. I was very very wrong.

She found a shop in Bunbury I think and they had a statuette of Venus, in roughly the same size as the original! I was so amazed and happy and over-awed I cried and cried and cried. How's that for validation on your religious choices from your parents? I'm crying again. *grin* It just astounds me that My Lady has been given to me as a gift twice now; once by Liluri, and at that time I was starting a path, and now that I'm starting the next one, once again My Lady has been given to me. The only piece of jewellery I was planning to wear during the birth was my fat chick on a string, and my wedding/engagement rings, although I have been told to take them off in case my hands swell over night. Now My Lady can watch over me as well as be in physical contact when Sproglet is born.

I look at My Lady and see myself. And right now, I look even more like her than I ever have before! I'm going to be starting a harder path now, and it's a challenge I'm looking forward to.