It is a new year ripe with fresh hopes, dreams and possibilities.
But the truth is I still feel a little grinchy from last year.
After one Christmas shopping experience, I wonder if people lose all common sense and logic for the sake of a sale.
Geared for a day of shopping one morning, I noticed a red sticker attached to my daily newspaper announcing $10 off a $50 purchase.
The sticker proclaimed it was good on EVERYTHING.
The word everything was printed in all caps and caught my attention because I had planned to purchase a $50 gift card from the same department store.
I eyeballed the sticker closely for fine print but saw none. Luck was with me, I thought.
Arriving at the checkout with my holiday cheer intact, the cashier readily informed me that I was a few dollars short of earning my bonus store cash.
“That’s OK. I need to buy a $50 gift card anyway,” I said offering her the red sticker.
“That’s not good on gift cards,” she said.
“It says here EVERYTHING,” I said.
The cashier repeated the statement and then summoned the store manager who confirmed that everything did not mean everything.
“It says right here on the back,” said the manager who then turned the sticker over and pointed to the backside which had been conveniently stuck to my newspaper.
Of course it did.
I felt heat rising. I was angry that I had allowed myself to be reeled in. Really, I knew better. But, I was especially angry that a retail store had overridden Webster’s.
For live people to tell you face to face that everything does not mean everything while standing smugly behind store policy seems absurd.
Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s part of being a journalist, where you sort of have this belief that words are expected to have dictionary meanings.
One thing is for certain: If I am not completely clear on word meaning and usage, I can expect to see the face of one of my editors.
After all, communication means everything — no exceptions.
