Monday, April 27, 2009

Entrepreneurship

I love the free market.

Because of the free market I was given the childhood that I have. Materialistic desires, an eye for the marketing (front and back-end) and of course - business ownership. I love Mom & Pop shops more than the national box stores, but also get why we have and need them. Well - I mostly love Mom & Pop shops.

A couple of weeks ago - the Squaw took one of our comforters to the local Dry Cleaners. We've taken things there before and have had no complaints. It's Korean owned and there really wasn't a need to communicate. Just show up with the laundry - grab a ticket - leave - return with ticket - pick up cleaned laundry - pay the bill - leave. Simple.

Well, the Squaw was on a trip - and the comforter was supposed to have been cleaned and ready basically when she returned from her trip. She returned - the Comforter did not.

Let me explain.

Did you notice the little breakdown of events that I had just a paragraph previous? We got to the 4th step but couldn't complete the 5th. The comforter had been lost. This meant we now had to communicate with the store owner.

Listen: I have no beef with people wanting to come to America, or the U.S.A. however folks describe it outside - and starting their own business. But if it's done. Please make sure that there is an employee who is able to clearly speak the English language. I can deal with an accent - as long as the sentences are coherent. I can deal with in coherent sentences as long as their is no accent. I can even deal with being able to participate in a badly played charade gestures - but heaven help with the gift of tongues with this very nice Korean lady.

We stood across the counter from each other trying to figure out what in the world I was trying to communicate. I would try to have a transcript of what we said to each other - but I don't have a clue.

I admit - I actually thought that I could make her understand by speaking slower and using hand gestures (NOT vulgar) [and of which I often poke a lot of fun at]. The conversation had gotten so jilted and broken that I swear that there was a three-minute lull wherein we just stared each other in the eye trying to mentally communicate. It didn't work.

Finally - by showing the ticket number and saying "Blanket" and "LOST" several times - did we finally have the mutual understanding that my comforter was lost. I had also hoped to get reimbursed on the comforter - which the business owner (understandably) did not want to do. We ended up agreeing to give the comforter an extra business week to find its way home.

I tried several times during the week to make a follow-up phone call. But discussing over the phone was much worse than in person - the hand gestures did not work there as well.

At the end of the tale - the Comforter made it back home - we didn't have to pay full price, we got a whole $5 taken off the bill for the trouble we had. Apparently the business owner - from a previous conversation had thought I was giving the comforter as a welcome gift to coming to the U.S.A.

The moral of the story again is this: well - I guess I'll hand it over to you folks. You tell me what you think the moral of the story is. Have a great one!

8 comments:

SparkleFarkel said...

Moral of the story: Avoid parties where you know they'll be playing "Charades."

the ginabean said...

The moral of the story: DO YOUR OWN LAUNDRY!

Ha, ha...I jest. When it comes to dry-cleaning, I mean. WOW, crazy that the Korean thought it was a "welcome to the USA" gifty. SERIOUSLY? That's quite the story. But I'm glad you have your comforter back! :)

Tess Kincaid said...

Now they think you are Indian, or should I say, Eskimo givers! Funny story. We have Koreans running our local dry cleaners, too, and have the same problem.

darsden said...

"My" moral is I SHOULD NOT, I repeat SHOULD NOT have to press 1 to hear English...English should be it! America=English!

Now, I too am a ma & pa kinda gir. Although not too many left around here after Katrina. But they always have the best food, and usually the best service.

Ack At Wally World...but that's about all that is left around these here parts!!

Unknown said...

At least your call to her, although nonsensical, would not have been transferred offshore to a poor fellow named "Steve."

aworgill said...

Um, you can't fight City Hall?

Steven Adami said...

I've been transfered to that guy. What a tempermental ass.

Steven Adami said...

Oh, I almost forgot. I love a free meal.