Jul 17, 2008

Men and women shop differently (long but funny)

On Monday, I had to run by a local HVAC supply house to pick up some ductwork for the new house for DH. The five-minute errand took 45 minutes and was a great source of amusement. It reminded me of just how different men and women are.
When I went in the place, the front counter had one (and only one) very grumpy older man waiting on customers and answering the phone.
Two guys were sprawled on stools in front of the counter while the counter guy - Burt - looked up something for them on the computer. Another guy was waiting to be served. Every time the phone would ring, Burt would gruffly answer it, tend to business, and then go back to his computer. It would take him a minute to figure out what he had been doing before being so rudely interrupted by the phone. Eventually, the guys on the stools left, promising to come back later in the day for their needed part. Burt said he knew they had it, he just had to look it up in the computer to find out where it was in the warehouse.
In the meantime, four other guys came in. Now with me, there are five customers waiting. This greatly concerns Burt. He gets gruffer and more short on the phone. He begins muttering under his breath at the computer. The phone keeps ringing. He begins to tell people to call back in thirty minutes as he has "ten people waiting to be helped!" At one point, he and a caller get into it, calling each other names and questioning one another's ancestry. But he still takes down the guy's order and says it will be delivered today.
I did finally get my flexiduct. If this had happened to a "normal" woman (I do not claim to be a normal woman; I have never been one and never will be), she would have been offended at hearing the belligerent phone call. She would have been incensed that Burt did not greet her when she came in the door. She would have commiserated with the guys who left without their part. She would have sworn never to come back into that place ever and she would tell all her friends not to come there, too!
The men simply waited. They all smiled or smirked at Burt's tirade on the phone. They bought Cokes from the soda machine, used the restroom, looked through trade magazines, or made cell phone calls while waiting. They did not try to hurry Burt up or organize him (they probably knew they would be beating a dead horse if they tried). Yeah, they might have been able to shop somewhere else, but this place was well-supplied, cheap, and they were already there. Venus and Mars. And yep, I shop like a guy.

1 comment:

Gloria said...

I had to laugh. For 18 years, I was a partner in a small HVAC supply business. I worked the counter as well as the warehouse. Give me male customers anyday! You are the exception though.