Feeling Lowe's at the Home Depot

When "we" take on a home improvement project at my house, Stephanie and I play to our strengths. She makes a plan, gathers her tools and does the work. My job is to get out of the way, pay a few bills and, if Steph is feeling generous, she might entrust me with the task of going to the store and picking up whatever she needs. Even then she doesn't get anything done while I'm gone because I call her several times from the store with dumb questions.

Today I was sent out to get some thin set so Steph could finish tiling the bathroom "we're" remodeling. I braved the icy roads and headed to our local Home Depot. I found the flooring department, but I had a few questions for their experts so I set out on a search for help. After several minutes, I found a little old lady who assured me she would send someone to help me. I heard her page for help immediately so I stayed in the flooring section and waited...for 10 minutes. At that point I proceeded out the door to my car and drove across the street to the Lowe's store.

At Lowe's I devised a different game plan. I parked near the door by the "help" desk and went there first just to let someone know I was headed for flooring and would need some help. Once again, no help arrived, so I set out to find some myself. I thought I found it in the form of three female employees sitting around a desk in the kitchens department enjoying a warm beverage. One of them came back to flooring with me and stood beside me while I called Stephanie and received actual answers to my questions.

In twenty minutes at Home Depot and 15 at Lowe's the only interaction I had with an employee was initiated by me and of no help whatsoever.

I paid for the thin set, put the receipt in my wallet and headed to the exit closest to my car. On the short walk from the cash register to the exit I was stopped twice and asked to show my receipt.