These stories from Palu and Mart are so interesting to read. It is true though...that shop personnel do make a profile in their minds and act accordingly. I have seen it before. If we need something for the house that may be a bit pricey, we do the internet investigation for models and pricing...then we go to stores to view the article in person. We usually do not dress fancy for the visit, in fact we dress way down (like my garden garb) and see how we are treated. If we are ignored, then we are gone. If we are handled normally...then we can talk and possibly make the purchase. This little test gives me a good idea about the shop and what I can expect for service should something go wrong with the product. You know what it is--everyone works hard for their money and then to give it to a place that does not treat me well....well I just refuse to do it. Anyhow to add a tale to the rest: When we lived and worked in Alaska we had acquaintances that were also Dutch. The woman was a dental assistant and told us the folllowing-- The dentist and his business had had some bad experiences with folks not paying their bills. It was so bad that they began profiling customers and based upon their impressions, they would ask for payment before doing the work in some cases. One day a rough-looking chap came in for some work. He had such a questionable appearance that they insisted upon payment before doing the work. He paid and they worked. When he left he went out the door, went behind the office and climbed into his fancy airplane and flew off. She said that she felt sheepish for having asked for payment before work, saying ,"You can't judge a book...". Well, when we lived there many people dressed rough and in fact carried guns openly...but it didn't mean that they were insolvent or criminal types...it was just the dress code for the location and time. BTW Cayu--I think you ought to get that man of yours on here. He may feel right at home and perhaps has some tips about not new clothing articles and their disposition. Good idea??
Isn`t duct tape wonderful Sjoerd ? I am glad you posted that pic of your garden shoes,, reminded me that my house shoes have a hole in the sole ! Now to go find the duct tape ! Back when I was younger there was a saying that "the whole world was held together with Scotch tape, Elmers glue and baling wire " Now we can replace the Scotch tape with Duct tape !
SJ, recently my husband & I were hiking Mount Cadillac in Acadia Maine. We were taking the ridge trail. Near the top I noticed something odd sticking to my hiking boot. It was the sole of the boot, come detached except for the toe. We couldn't seem to pull it off, (& do in the absence of duct tape), I just re-tied my boot laces around the sole, holding it on until I could get down the mountain. Obviously I need to purchase new boots & break them in before the Camino!
MART--it sure is, I use it all the time for all sorts of things. You'd better get right on those house shoes before the price of duct tape goes up! We'd better change that saying now. I'll vote for the change along with you. CAYU--I reckon that you'd better get that new pair of shoes now. They will need to be broken in well before your Pilgrimage adventure. Well before. Loose soles are one thing, but blisters.......Huhn-uh. That hilarious story of yours I can certainly identify with, for I had a similar experience: I went to an embassy....back in those days when one went to the embassy it was a serious and big thing to do. One dressed in one's sunday best and behaved with due solemnity and respect. The main thing was that you had to dress properly. So there I was disguised as a gentleman; suit, complete with fancy wing-tip shoes worn only on special occasions like funerals-- checked in, stated my business and of course was told to take a seat. Well, the waiting just went on and on and on, so at one point, I got up to move around the room and stretch my legs and walk-off the mounting tension. I walked, I stood,I sat, I stood and leaned. At one point I walked over to the little table to pick up a magazine and I heard as I walked...---squeek-flap, squeek-flap, squeek flap. I distantly heard the sound and glanced around to see who was making the noise. I selected a magazine and squeek-flapped over to a pillar and leaned up against it, opened the book and crossed my legs so that the cross-over foot was resting on the toe.... "Flap"! I looked down and the sole of my shoe was held by the toe but the whole rest of the sole had turned loose and flapped flat against the floor while my foot was vertical, resting on the toe! OMG, I was enormously embarrassed and could hear the hushed whispers and snickers from the others in the room---it was a sort of scandalous happening. Well, in this sort of closed situation denying or walking with a dragging limp just would not hide anything,it was of course, too late for that. So then, it was time to pull the stiff upper lip out and squeek-flap back to my chair where the Bride was already digging into her purse. There was a large, thick elastic band around the papers that we had brought. Off it came and around my shoe it went. Some face was saved and afterwards I made it to a cobbler to have the sole re-attached.
SJ I am laughing! What a great story! "Squeak-flap-sqeak-flap?!" Your Bride must have been just dying. Or wanting to fall about laughing!
My Bride laughed too as she read it and recalled the past. It is a funny situation looking at it today, but back then it was honestly embarrassing.
I don't need to have the sole of my shoe coming off, to get the squeak. My shoes do it in some big shops. B&Q are the worst for it. Many moons ago we used to go for walks as a family. On one of them our dog brought the top half of a shoe which he had found. "Oh, dear," says my Mother. "Some poor soul (sole) will be looking for that!"
