There was this dry cleaning store that I would pass on my way while driving home from work. It was on the right hand side of the road which was convenient and it had a large parking lot, also very nice. One day, I decided to start making use of their services and so I brought in some clothing to be cleaned.
As I walked up to the store entrance, I noticed that there was a sign in the store's window that said after ten purchases, the eleventh one would be free.
I dropped off the clothing, got my receipt which said that everything would be ready on Thursday and then I returned on that day to pick my things up. On the day I'd first come to the store, I'd noticed another customer getting a card hole-punched to show that he'd made perhaps his fifth transaction on his way to the tenth and then on the free eleventh so I knew what I should expect for myself.
Guess what!
I want you to imagine this store's clerk as looking like one of those squinty eyed, sort of grotesque crooks from the old Dick Tracy comic strip. (See Dick Tracy ). This clerk was waiting to see if I would ask for the discount card or whether I would forget. He didn't want me to ask for it and he was waiting to see if I would or not.
Having noticed this little game, I decided not to ask for it just to see if he'd remind me or not. If he reminded me, then all would be well and good but if he didn't remind me, I'd know that he was, shall I say, "untrustworthy". (I am trying to be kind.)
He didn't remind me so I just played dumb, paid my bill, took my cleaned clothing and left, never to return.
A month or two later, that cleaning business was gone leaving behind a vacant building with an "Available" sign posted in the window.
Comments