Encounters of a Beauty Advisor

On Wallets, Wormholes and:

I picked up the phone at work and it was a Walgreens employee from another store. He said he had a man there who had bought some perfume from them, and was bringing it back because, brand new out of the box, it was only half full. They didn’t have another one to exchange for the faulty one, he wanted to know whether our store did. I said yes, we did. The employee said he would send the man over.

A little while later, a man came into the store with a bag and a grin. He spoke haltingly with an accent as I greeted him.

“You are the man with the perfume?” I asked.

“Yes, and it is only half full.” He told me that it had been a nicely-wrapped gift for his girlfriend, and she had been disappointed, and he had been very embarrassed when they saw that it was only half full.

I took out our store’s box of the same perfume, and he asked me to un-wrap the plastic to make sure it is full before he buys it. I complied, and as I did so my phone rang. I saw that it was from the office. The shift manager said, “Is that guy at your counter the perfume exchange guy?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Is his name Xavier?”

“Probably,” I said, noting the obvious genetic features and accent.

My manager said, “The Broadway Walgreens just called and said he left his credit card there. Would you let him know?”

“Certainly,” I said.

The customer and I verified that the new perfume was full, and then I called for the manager to come do the exchange. At this point, while we were waiting for the manager to arrive, I said, “By the way, your credit card is at the other Walgreens.”

Xavier nodded, “Yes, I paid for it with credit at the other store.” He didn’t understand.

“No,” I tried again, “I mean, you left your credit card at the other Walgreens.”

“I did use my card there, but I only want to exchange here and give you this first one.” He still didn’t get it. So I changed tactics.

“Your credit card – it’s NOT in your wallet.”

Xavier paused and looked at me. “What?”

“Your credit card is not in your wallet,” I repeated.

He looked puzzled, but reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. I watched as he opened the flaps and pockets. Then his head jerked up to look straight at me.

“Where is my credit card! How did you know it isn’t in my wallet!?”

I had to keep from laughing, and explained, “That was what that phone call was – the other Walgreens called and said you left it there.”

His face transformed from shock and anxiety to dawning realization, and he grinned again. “Oohhh!..” We both laughed then, and my manager arrived, and we got Xavier squared away. I told him to write to or call the perfume company and complain, because maybe they would give him some money or free perfume for their mistake.

He thanked me with that grin again, and left to give his girlfriend a full bottle of perfume. And to retrieve his credit card.

#wallet #perfume #xavier #creditcard