Why are they buying that?

Shortly after I started working at the hardware store, I waited on an older woman who was buying several items.  I was still adjusting to the new job and was reluctant to step outside of the safety of just saying hello, stating the total, collecting payment, and bagging the purchase.  Two items caught my attention, a broom and a mouse trap.  I lost all inhibition and starting laughing, thinking back on the old Jinx the cat and Pixie and Dixie cartoon where Jinx would chase Pixie and Dixie with a wet broom.  Then I asked her if she was going after the mouse with the broom if the mouse trap didn't work.  She laughed and quietly said "That was a good one" and that she just might.  

I've loosed up a lot more since then and I am really enjoying the customers.  I am playing a new game now to see what is the most bizarre combo that customers will buy.    So far the best is still the broom and the mouse trap, coming in second is the man who bought an alarm clock and a hammer.  

Now that I am actively looking for such purchases I think I'm am beginning to stretch things just a bit.  The other day a customer bought a couple of extension cords and an item that was suppose to rid his yard of gophers.  He was telling me that he thought the product was working so he came in for more.  I looked at the extension cords and suggested that he hook them up with some bright lights and stick them down the gopher hole and try to send the little buggers into darkness somewhere beyond his yard.  He heartily agreed that yes that would be a great way to send them back to the winery from which he suspected them came.  

Interestingly enough I heard today that the only way truly rid your yard of gophers is to discourage them from being in your yard.  I guess my advice wasn't far off.

Slaves To Fashion

A teenager came into the hardware store yesterday asking if we sold lighters. I took him to the BBQ section where we have assorted BBQ lighters as well as a standard Bic lighter. He chose the Bic and as I followed him to the front desk, I observed his attire. He had on the classic baggy jean and oversized shirt. I don't know how they can walk in those things. When I rang up his sale and told him the amount due, he proceded to search through his pants pockets for money. He was practically reaching down to his ankles to find the bottom of his pockets. He dug and dug and dug some more until he finally came up with a few crumpled dollars bills mixed with other stuff he probably hadn't seen in days. He then said he guessed he no longer needed the lighter as he had finally found his matches.

Forgotten (almost) Sounds of the Past

Today at the hardware store one of the guys was putting together a push lawnmower. The old ones had a long wooden shaft with cross piece handle bars and blades that whirled when you pushed it. They were sometimes a pain in the neck if you didn't keep the blades well oiled or got a branch stuck in them, but oh what a sound! I loved that soft clicking whirl.

Another wonderful yet vanishing sound is from the engine of a vintage Volkswagen. It was so sad when the new Bug came out with a revamped engine that sounded just like every other car engine. Whenever I encounter a vintage bug on the road, I'll roll down my window to catch the sound.

Remember the old sensor hose at the gas station (service stations at the time)? When you ran over it with your car, a bell would ring alerting the attendent that you needed service. As a young girl I would go the the service station with my dad. He would always tell the attendent to give him ten gallons. As the attendent filled his tank, washed the windows, and offered to check under the hood, the gas pump would ding after each gallon. The attendent could just count the dings and needed only to go back to the pump after the 9th ring in order to cut off the flow at 10 gallons.