Champagne Service (and a cute cat)

I'm just back from a clothes shopping expedition--not my favourite activity. I was after some everyday t-shirts in my current size. Since I'm hoping my current size will only be a passing phase on my ongoing journey to a healthier me, I wasn't out to spend a lot of money or a lot of time.

I found some basic t-shirts in a style I like. I tried on the black one. It fits. Great! My plan was to buy a few colours. I rejected the liver-coloured one and the bright apricot-pink. Likewise the plain white. The mint green went into my basket. Then there was my favourite bright marine blue-green.  They call it Caribbean. I wanted one. There were plenty there in every size except mine. I asked for help.

Here's where the story takes an unexpected turn. A lovely tall young woman answered the page with a smile on her face. She proceeded to

• quickly check the stock while tidying up the shelf
• check the computer
• verify the stock against the computer entry because the computer seemed to have the wrong information
• check the boxes out the back of the store
• check the fitting room
• take my name and number with a promise to contact me when the expected stock came in.

. . . all of this done cheerfully, quickly and efficiently.

I literally just got home. My first task was to feed my dogs. The phone rang before I'd filled their bowls. It was K-mart Northcote. I said, "Don't tell me you found the shirts the minute I walked out of the store". No, but she had arranged for three in my size to be transferred from a nearby store. I should hear from them in a couple of days.

Now, I don't normally rant about bad service, young people these days and other such, grumpy old lady topics. But I am seriously impressed and thankful. That's what I call champagne service on a soft-drink budget--I gather beer is expensive these days.  

As for the cat, it's white and fluffy with mismatched eyes, and has nothing to do with my story, but I had to give you something nice to look at, and the shirts aren't that exciting.

He (or she) was sitting on the fence when I walked past the other day with an inscrutable cat-stare in blue and green. That's all.