Redemption

Sometimes I Feel like James Whitmore in the Shawshank Redemption especially now that I’ve retired and left the establishment at which I was employed for over 36 years. If you recall, Mr. Whitmore played a character named Brooks Hatlen in the well known prison movie. He was the old guy who had been imprisoned most of his life, had done his time and now was free to go. Free to go into the outside world. A world full of noise, cars, buses and people who always seemed to be in such a hurry. And most of them were unkind or at best indifferent and selfish.

I felt like Mr. Whitmore today when I went into our local office supply store.  I felt like him not only because I’m old (albeit not as old as he was in the movie) but because many times the world and the people in it seem so indifferent and selfish. Just drive or better yet walk down the street and notice how fast and careless people drive. The speed limit is merely another useless road sign the seems to go unnoticed. Anyway when I walked into the store to return some used printer cartridges for recycling the door alarm went off! That was only a signal of what was to follow. Mind you I was ENTERING the store not walking out with stolen merchandise. I guess I was stealing stuff INTO the store. What?! I then proceeded to the “courtesy” desk which is not really ironic since the employees actually are very courteous. It’s the stupid store policy that I have a problem with which is now why I remember I don’t shop there anymore.

I then placed the used ink cartridges on the “courtesy” desk and asked if the store accepts them for recycling. The lady said yes and that not only would they take them but I could get $2 in credit for them if I took them to the cash register. Now I was excited….well not excited but surprised. Surprised because I did not expect to get anything for them, which IS as you shall soon see quite ironic. I simply wanted to be a good citizen and not pollute the environment and making sure that the little cartridges found a good home and a new life. (Actually I just wanted to get rid of them properly.) 

So now I’m looking around in the store for something I could maybe use and apply my $2 refund. I seriously considered everything from a set of pens for $4 to an iPad for $699.  After what seemed like about a half hour I decided on a $5 roll of white duct tape. I felt this could come in quite handy around the house.

I then proceeded to the check out with my white duct tape in one hand and a bag of ink cartridges in the other. After entering my phone number into their computer / cash register system the cashier rang up $2 worth of ink cartridge credit. She then rang up $5.31 for the roll of white duct tape for a grand total of $5.31. I then asked her “Where’s my $2 credit?” She politely answered “That goes into your rewards”. “OK” I said reluctantly and I paid the $5.31 for the roll of white duct tape all the while vowing to myself never to enter that store again.

So as you can see I not only did not receive my reward but I never even got any form of redemption.