Walmart, 17 June 2009 - Confrontation - Unsuccessful
Posted to SBL list 19 June 2009
The other night, very late, I went to a Walmart here in Dallas that I
don't usually go to. I live near a Neighbourhood Market one, which I go to
regularly with no problems, but they don't have steering fluid and other
such things, so I had to go to the Supercentre. Chris (barefoot at the
time, but he's not full-time) and I had hardly gotten into the entryway
when an Old Turd greeter came greeting us with the dreaded shaking head
and waving hand. Y'all gotta have own shoes hyah, etc.
I wasn't in a hurry and felt like arguing, so I said that no, I don't
believe I do. Is there a store policy or something? I've been told there
isn't [seen in SBL posts, IIRC]. Yes, there is a "store policy".
Apparently just this store. We bickered a bit, though not terribly rudely,
until he went off mumbling about a manager. He had another greeter guard
'the door' (read: us) and came back after eternity and a day bearing
someone who seemed more like the senior floor stocker than a store
manager. Wielding not one, but TWO box cutters in an apron that none of
the others had, she swooped down in deadly fury and announced that we must
wear shoes in the store. Okay, she was really fairly polite about it all,
but that didn't help anything.
I'll give you three guesses at the reason for requiring shoes. First two
don't count.
Yeah, broken glass. I sure didn't see that one coming.
So, Ms. Manager, you must have a lot of broken glass lying around the
store for it to be such a concern.
Suddenly it was a health regulation. I still hadn't printed out a letter,
though, so I couldn't show her that. I did say there's no such health
regulation, and I'd be glad to bring a letter from the health department (HTML)
when I returned. This went in one ear and out the other, as far as I could
tell. There were a few minutes of arguing various details of it all that I
don't remember, but at one point -- get this -- one of those cops they
have standing around the store all the time nosed in and started running
his mouth about how "It doesn't matter, you're missing the point, she can
make you leave regardless, it doesn't matter, you're missing the point . .
." ad nauseam, and of course I couldn't get a word in edgewise. I pretty
much had to talk over him to thank Ms. Manager for her time before leaving.
We went home to grab some shoes (we needed steering fluid and food, after
all, and I wore house shoes, so there :P) and came back. Of course there
was a great deal of peering at our feet once we reentered. We shopped
unaccosted. Once we went to check out, the nosey cop was there leaning on
a wall by the cash register, smirking at us. It's a pity I don't have time
to get arrested for telling some police what I think of them. I stood
around trying to look dignified while Chris paid for the groceries, and
shot the cop what I hoped was a defiant look as I passed.
I wasn't able to print a letter at home as the printer kept developing
errors completely unrelated to printing which were nonetheless fatal
(scanner error? "Oh, I can't run, I broke my finger" -- about as related)
so I stuck the latest Texas letter PDF on my website so it'd be nice and
short, and gave Ms. Manager the URL on a piece of paper. She looked busy
and apathetic, and I doubt she's even going to look at it, but it was
worth trying.
We skirted the Old Turd checking receipts at the door just to rile him up,
and ditched the shoes once in the car.
I think it's ridiculous that a *cop* jumped into a discussion like this.
Maybe I should have asked how long I can stand around arguing with people
before being arrested for trespass. He certainly looked like he had
nothing better to do.
Does anyone have any idea who I should write to, or whether I should
bother at all? I don't go to that store much but I wouldn't mind making
some noise, anyway.
I actually barefoot in my local Wal-Mart Supercenter all the time, and have not once been stopped by anyone saying that I had to be wearing shoes. I've also asked cops in the area, and they've told me that if anyone called to report someone with bare feet in their store, they'd just laugh.
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a letter from the health department (HTML)
when I returned. This went in one ear and out the other, as far as I could
tell. There were a few minutes of arguing various details of it all that I
don't remember, but at one point -- get this -- one of those cops they
have standing around the store all the time nosed in and started running
his mouth about how "It doesn't matter, you're missing the point, she can
make you leave regardless, it doesn't matter, you're missing the point . .
." ad nauseam, and of course I couldn't get a word in edgewise. I pretty
much had to talk over him to thank Ms. Manager for her time before leaving.
Current Comments
2 comments so far (post your own)
I actually barefoot in my local Wal-Mart Supercenter all the time, and have not once been stopped by anyone saying that I had to be wearing shoes. I've also asked cops in the area, and they've told me that if anyone called to report someone with bare feet in their store, they'd just laugh.
Posted by Lynn on 18Mar10 @ 0227 EDT | #199
When you're in a not good position and have no cash to go out from that point, you would need to take the <a href="http://lowest-rate-loans.com">loan</a>. Because it should help you definitely. I take short term loan every year and feel great because of it.
Posted by EllisonPAT on 17Jun10 @ 1927 EDT | #208