Luck

One of the things that I really like about my wife is that she says nice things about me even when they're clearly not true -- or at least, not as true as she makes them sound. She says, for example, that I "don't suffer fools gladly", which is true, but putting it that way makes it sound almost like a principled stand when in fact it's frequently my version of a snit: I won't play nice, and you can't make me! Today, she said that I refused to compromise when it comes to buying things, and thats true, too; but again, not as true as it sounds, or as clear of purpose. Its more an atavistic reluctance to accept the way that things are.

We were out, driving around, after having dropping the offspring off at a birthday party. I asked if she'd like to go look for stereo equipment at a small stereo store not too far away, and she said ok. When we got there, we found that the SST was now a store for the purveying of instant signs; not a stereo in sight. She suggested going to the branch of Tweeters Etc where we'd bought the small Sony stereo we have upstairs; it is now a big empty building, right next to the big empty building where the Encore Books used to be (that was a serious loss; not only was it a large bookstore at a time when there were no other large bookstores in the area, but it was classy, with nice walnut and mahogany furnishings and the like). Reluctantly, we decided to go to Circuit City, or as I think of it, Big Screen TVs and Some Other Stuff. We got there to find that the SOT was even less than before; they had gutted the room that had had one large television and a bunch of high end stereo equipment so that it was now three large televisions and two small speakers. I walked over to look at a small plasma television, partially just to mute the blaring sound, and while I was standing there admiring the television's image, a clerk waddled up and starting fiddling with the volume controls. I asked him not to unmute it. He muttered something and continued. I left.


For the next five minutes I vented about how the commercial enterprise was dividing itself into two spheres: high volume superbox stores -- Walmart, Circuit City, Borders -- interested in pushing the product and in volume, and smaller stores interested in very expensive versions of what you want. No in between. And even at the smaller, expensive stores, the concept of customer service was virtually gone -- there, too, it was Push The Product. That was it.

Which is when she made her very nice comment, instead of pointing out how unfair and small-minded I was being. Partially because she knew I'd come to that conclusion myself. But mostly, because she's a wonderful person.

I'm very lucky.