Accessibility Bitch, the sequel

Posted by Katja on 27 November 2004 | Permalink
Filed under accessibility

For the last five years my Beloved and I have been promising each other new dishes for Christmas. We currently have a random mixture of two sets of the marvelously durable Denby, and so we’d like to replace them with more Denby.

Yesterday we went to our local Dillard’s (yes, that Dillard’s), and sure enough, the china department was so cluttered up with tables and big vases and boxes waiting to be unpacked that the closest I could get to the Denby display was about three feet away. A saleslady came up while my Beloved was bringing me dishes to look at, and asked if we needed anything. “We’re in the market for a new set of Denby china,” I said in a neutral voice, “and I’m willing to spend a thousand dollars on it, but not if I can’t get close enough to see it.”

This began a hilarious dance: the saleslady apologised, and began fetching various other employees to start moving stuff (right answer!); my Beloved felt the need to apologise to the saleslady several times and assure her that they didn’t need to move anything, we would manage (wrong answer); I apologised to my Beloved ONCE for causing him distress, but assured him that they should indeed move things, in fact they should move them permanently.

Accessibility bitch: a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.

Comments

9 Responses to “Accessibility Bitch, the sequel”

  1. Jody on November 27th, 2004 12.51

    Woo-hoo! I love you, Katya!

  2. sandra on November 27th, 2004 13.55

    I’m glad they got all the crap cleared away, but sad that it wasn’t a priority until the potential to lose a thousand dollar sale came into the picture. (Did you end up buying anything?)

  3. Michael on November 27th, 2004 16.20

    Hi. Victoria (Wictoria) wants to know why it’s called “brokenclay”. And I want to know where there are pictures of our dog on your website. I searched under “hound”, “dog”, “puppy”, and her name and came up with nothing.

    I really liked the thanksgiving pictures you emailed me. I miss you too. I think I”ll write a lengthier email later.

  4. Katja on November 27th, 2004 18.04

    Sandra - not yet, I’m going to go the one and only Denby outlet in Silverthorne (in the mountains near where my sister lives) first. Still could happen.

  5. Patricia Tryon on November 28th, 2004 5.28

    Brick and mortar should bite the dust, imho. But let me know if there’s anything good over at Silverthorne… ;-)

  6. Katja on November 28th, 2004 20.15

    Brick and mortar have their uses - I don’t want to drop that kind of money on dishes without being able to see and touch them.

  7. Eileen on November 28th, 2004 20.30

    Keep on bitching! I don’t know why stores assume that people in wheelchairs always have someone to help them open the doors. Automatic openers would help a lot of people besides the disabled. And my motto is “If I can’t get in myself, it’s not accessible.” And a raspberry for your husband.

  8. mdmhvonpa on November 29th, 2004 10.13

    Ohhh MAN! I would love to have seen that. You need to strap a dirty-harry .44 Magnum mockup to your chair and ask them “Do you feel lucky?”.

  9. Patricia Tryon on November 30th, 2004 16.21

    Eh, I kinda think that when I’ve seen one Denby… OTOH, I have been badly burned on eBay recently JUST BECAUSE I failed in the due diligence one usually does not need to do for brick and mortar purchases. So you’re pro’ly right…