My mom at Belk dept. store

[DigitalEyes]

In this case, my mom was the customer. I don't know whether Belk still does this, but years ago they had a small section with nice candies and various things (like teddy bears) for gift giving.

One day my mom was browsing in Belk. She didn't find anything she wanted, but as she was leaving the store a candy bar caught her eye. When she got to the register to pay for it the clerk asked, "Will this be cash, check or charge?" It was a candy bar.

Mom looked at the clerk and said, "I'd like to put it on lay-away."

[NightAngel]

In defense of the clerk I can say it's force of habit. Not to mention that I've had people write a check or use their CC to buy nothing more than a pack of gum.

I'm only hoping your Mom was intending to be funny? Because depending on the context her statement could be either humorous or SC-ish.

[AFpheonix]

I would have laughed if I was the clerk, but that's me.

[DigitalEyes]

In defense of the clerk I can say it's force of habit. Not to mention that I've had people write a check or use their CC to buy nothing more than a pack of gum.

I'm only hoping your Mom was intending to be funny? Because depending on the context her statement could be either humorous or SC-ish.

The clerk did ask that out of habit, and my mom did realize it. Mom's comment just popped out of her mouth, and she and the clerk laughed hysterically about it. I should probably have mentioned that this happened about 20 years ago. Back then personal checks were the standard form of payment, and the only way to verify a check was good was to deposit it, wait a week and keep your fingers crossed. Credit cards were just becoming popular (thanks to Reaganomics). No one could even fathom the concept of an ATM machine. All clerks routinely and automatically asked, "Will this be cash, check or charge?"

[NightAngel]

I had faith your Mom wasn't being an SC.

My point was there's a difference between:

*eyeroll* Condescending tone, "I want to put it on layaway." *looks at clerk as though the clerk is an idiot*

And:

"I want to put it on layaway." *cheesy grin/laughs*

[DigitalEyes]

Yes yes... there is a big difference. Rest assured, my mom is totally cheesy... lmao

[Mark Healey]

In defense of the clerk I can say it's force of habit. Not to mention that I've had people write a check or use their CC to buy nothing more than a pack of gum.

I HATE that. On small purchases the CC fees can eat up a big chunk of if not all of the profit. For example a used pocket sized paper back is usually U$3.00. One dollar goes to the landlord. Another went to the person who sold it to us. Out of the remianing dollar has to come, staff, utilities, insurance, taxes beyond sales tax, maintanence, the losses from books that don't sell. So using the CC on a small purchase eats most if not all the profit.

Unfortunately the boss doesn't want to loose the sale so we don't have minimum for CC pruchases. I don't understand why when the sale looses money.

[HYHYBT]

Because Visa doesn't allow it....

The only way your Mom would have been an SC would be if she'd been serious about putting the candy bar on layaway.

[CherryB]

should probably have mentioned that this happened about 20 years ago. Back then personal checks were the standard form of payment, and the only way to verify a check was good was to deposit it, wait a week and keep your fingers crossed. Credit cards were just becoming popular (thanks to Reaganomics). No one could even fathom the concept of an ATM machine.

Ummm..I was working retail as far back as 1974. Credit Cards were pretty popular Christmas season of 1977. That would have been on Jimmy Carter's watch.

ATM's were around as far back as 1980, cause I remember using them. I lived in Beaumont, Texas at the time, so we arent talking about a bustling metropolis either.

Reagan inherited Carter's 15% interest rate on mortgage loans. I remember. I was trying to buy a house in 1980-81 and just couldn't pay the 14.2% going rate.

Not trying to start a war, just trying to set the record straight.