Was at Planet Fitness the other day. Noticed the store for the first time, and decide to check it…read moreout. I live in town, and like to support local businesses as much as possible. The place is basically an indoor flea market, with what appear to be items that "fell off the back of a truck" headed to Dollar Tree. Some other repackaged salvation army donations line the walls and back corner. As I said earlier, I try and support local businesses whenever possible, so I decided to buy something for that sole purpose. Up towards the front, I saw a nick nack skull gas pump thing that caught my attention. Much like a flea market, nothing is marked with a price. The shelf the item was on was maybe 10' from the register, so I picked it up and asked the clerk how much it was. He told me to bring it over to him, I obliged. As soon I handed it to him, him told me that it was broken. I wasn't interested enough in the thing to buy it broken, so when he asked if I still wanted to purchase it, I declined. The next 2 minutes sound straight out of and episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but it's too random to fabricate.
With no hint of sarcasm, the clerk asked me a second time, if I was going to buy it. I told him, no thanks, since he had literally just pointed out that it was broken. He said, "you broke it, but you're not going to buy it?" Again, no hint of sarcasm. All I could spit out was "what?" He repeated his asinine accusation. I reminded him that he literally watched me pick up the item and make the 10' journey to the register. He said, you must have dropped it. It was literally 10 FEET from the register, a straight line, in plain view. I told him that I would have never even known it was broken had HE not pointed it out. And I probably would have purchased it is the price wasn't ridiculous. Which brings me to the next level of insanity. He said, "since it's broken, $20." If I didn't know any better I would have sworn he was joking. In fact, I laughed and again could only muster up a chuckled "what!?" He asked a finally time, incredulously, "so you're not going to buy it?" Zero irony. I said "why would I buy something that's broken?" He somehow spun it around on me, where he was the bigger person, and threw out a "have a great day." Which I would have taken as a please leave my store, had I not already been standing in the doorway halfway out at the time.
I guess it was worth the show, in hindsight. I've gotten some mileage out of that story already.
p.s. after telling someone the story, I decided to look the item, brand new, up on Amazon. Remember, he wanted $20 for a broken, unpackaged edition (see attachment)
