Little did I know as my granddaughter and I shopped on the Sunday afternoon before Christmas at a local grocery store, that Scrooge was alive and well.

As we purchased food for the pre-Christmas week, my granddaughter saw a white teddy bear sitting in a bin in the floral section. As best we could tell, it’s only problem was dirty feet—store dirt—it obviously had been around a while.

She asked if we could buy this to give to her mom for Christmas—if we could clean it up. I said that maybe they would knock a little off the price since it was dirty and would have to be cleaned up in order to make it a presentable gift. So I asked the cashier if it could be discounted—considering it was dirty.

She took off to ask the manager and returned with the message, “It wasn’t damaged, it was just dirty. No discount.”

Well, moron, the dirt was the damage.

So I was given the privilege of paying full price for a dirty bear so my granddaughter could give her mom a teddy bear that said, “I love you, Mom.” Did I mention that it was the only teddy bear with that sentiment?

When it was rung up, it came up as “Mother’s Day Teddy.” So it was seven months old, dirty, but still worth full price?

I spent $140 in groceries that day. They should hang on to the $7.99 I paid for that bear for a long time.

It’ll be the last money they see from me anytime soon. That manager needs to go to Jacksonville for a refresher course in “Customer Service.” I’m not saying I’ll never shop there again—just not if I can find it someplace else. So, to all the readers out there—Merry Christmas.

To that store? Well, here’s Bah Humbug back to you.

Patricia Chalmer
Donalsonville, Ga.