So, I don’t look 18 anymore.
Sometimes I wish I was, but I’m also OK with my wrinkles and hints of gray on the temples. Yeah, I have gray hair on my chest too in case it’s helpful. So you can imagine this dude (me) walking in the store after a sleepless night of practicing like a m********er, to get his rolling tobacco. I made an effort to get my ass to the store at around 8:15 in the morning. I was really determined to get my smokes because I kind of need them not to freak out sometimes. And for some weird reason, after 3 years of not thinking too much about it, I decided to finally ask them as to why the hell do they ask me my d.o.b every freakin’ time they sell me smokes. I asked the older lady behind the counter about this. I know, I should pick my fights, but I’ve spend tons of money at that little gas station over 10 years of living in the hood. I am their regular customer. I’ve never been difficult in any given situation towards them. I hate conflicts, I think people who know me would agree. But somehow I thought this question was due. Well, the vendor lady said that it was their system’s requirement. I said, I know that (otherwise she wouldn’t be asking me my d.ob.), but I was more interested in the reason why they needed to put my d.o.b in the system. At that point the woman said that it was the law. I read laws sometimes for goodness sake, and the only reference to requirement is to check customers ID. Now that is the enforced requirement. So I said “I don’t think so”. I mean, you don’t even need to read the law to kinda figure this out. Other neighborhood stores don’t have the enforcement of this stern “law”. And again, strangely enough, the woman took this personally. Not sure why. I think it’s because she slept through important parts of her training. I mean, who knows. But she threw the pack of my wanted smokes back on the shelf and said that she can’t sell it to me because I was difficult. Well, maybe she slept through only one particular part of her training because it was her right to refuse me a sale. After she stated that I was difficult I asked her one simple question: “Really?” And when she said “YES” I left the store and went to the next gas station that never asks you anything except the signature on the receipt…
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Other than that – it finally feels like spring in the air. So I’m enjoying it while it lasts.
