Excerpts from last friday

The following are some excerpts from my day last Friday:

Ring, ring.

me:"hello"

my wife:" hello, what are you up to?"

me:"On my way to pick up Q from school"

her:"I just heard on the radio that if you go to Taipan Trading, they are giving out $50 gift certificates and a box of chocolates when you mention a certain radio show (I am not saying what show because I don't care for nor desire to promote it)."

me:"But I don't listen to that show, nor would I want to publicly say that I had heard anything on it."

her:"That's OK, you just have to go to customer service and tell them."

me:"They wouldn't be giving out free certificates."

her:"Yes they are, I heard it on the radio, they keep talking about it. So will you go and get me one."

me:"Probably not."

her:"But it's free, you have to go get one, you can go after you get Q."

me:"Nothing in life is free."

her:"For me, please!"

me:"We'll see."

Later on that day, ring, ring

me:"Hello"

my wife again:"Hey what are you doing?"

me:"Just put Q down for his nap."

her:"You didn't go to Taipan, did you?"

me:"Nope"

her:"Are you going to?"

me:"Wasn't planning on it."

her:"You could pick up O from school, and then run out there."

me:"I really don't want to, I have some other stuff to do."

her:"Please!!"

me:"I'll think about it."

By the time I picked up O, the guilt had built up sufficiently that I felt I should go. Much to the boys chagrin we went. Once there we went to the customer service desk which was deserted. After standing there for a few minutes being ignored, a janitor pushing a broom asked if he we needed help. He pointed out the manager to me. The manager explained that if you bought a $50 gift certificate, that you then got a box of chocolates worth $10 for free. Aaaaaaaaagggghhhhh! I thanked him, gathered the boys, walked out to the car and immediately called my wife. I proceeded to reel off a string of I told you so's. She could not apologize enough, she felt awful. I felt vindicated. An important lesson was learned, nothing in life is free and my wife needs to listen/read promotional offers more carefully. I think it also important to note that I did the right thing in going to Taipan Trading, it's always best to try to keep your wife happy and do what she asks, even if you think she is wrong (most of the time she isn't).