What me roonie?

There are good things and bad things about this place. One bad thing is the inflexible return policy of most stores. My most recent frustration was yesterday, when I went to two different "branches" of the same store to return two of an unopened, non-perishable item. I was told they wouldn't take it back because the packages could be opened, the product used and replaced and the package reclosed. AUGH! When I said that according to that reasoning, so could a piece of clothing be worn and returned, the shop assistant said no, because clothes have tags.

HELLO! Introducing the Chicago *****-American community with 300 ways to return the expensive formal dress you bought for New Year's Eve in whose armpit lining you left sweat stains. ON JAN 1st, looking innocently into the eyes of a pissed off Marshall Field's employee who is sooo onto you but can't say anything because of the store's return policy and hey, you've got a receipt and you just ended up deciding to wear last year's dress again.

Having worked retail part-time for years, I have very specific ideas about customer service, but I kept my battle for a weekday morning when they'll be less busy. At which time I will argue that I spend thousands of **** in that store every year (not really, actually I generally boycott that store, I just went this time because I needed something specific that nobody else had) and it's unreasonable of them to lose my custom for the equivalent of forty bucks. I'm usually good at such things and now it's a matter of pride. I'll let you know.

Unappeased, I proceeded to eat GELATO! Most people here don't eat ice cream in winter, so I was apprehensive about the freshness. No need to worry! One scoop filbert (I think that's what that nut is called), one scoop bitter chocolate. Both fresh. Being on a no-sugar diet for the past month and a half, I was light-headed, drunk with the decadence of the gelato indulgence after my nasty post-holiday return (that wasn't).

NEXT time: Why does everybody here wear black and grey? It's depressing. I do it too but my resolution is to be colorful and swim against the current this year.