It Pays to Ask
Title
It Pays to Ask
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
"It was a pleasant Thursday morning. I had made my list of all the things I wanted to do that day."
Date
2011-04-22
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Language
en
Coverage
2011
Identifier
It_Pays_to_Ask
Text
It Pays to Ask
It was a pleasant Thursday morning. I had made my list of all the things I wanted to do that day. Among them was buying a small present for Itai for his Bar Mitzvah (to accompany the check). The light bulb went on above my head. A great idea and a great two-fer. A Boston Red Sox yarmulke! Combining our love for Judaism with our love for the Red Sox. The “official” Boston Red Sox yarmulke is only sold at the “Official Red Sox Team Store on Yawkey Way Across from Fenway Park.” I had the time, so I drove down Brookline Avenue to Yawkey Way, and entered the Red Sox souvenir supermarket.
The place was jammed. I didn’t realize this was spring break and though the Red Sox were playing in Los Angeles, fans were making pilgrimages to Fenway, taking pictures and buying tchotchkes. I asked a salesperson where I might buy a yarmulke. She pointed me to a counter on the other side of the store. I was delighted that she knew what a yarmulke was. I asked the sales person at the counter she sent me to, for a yarmulke. She explained that she no longer carried them, and sent me to a third counter. There, a knowledgeable young man explained that they had blue, red and white yarmulkes, each with beautifully embroidered “Bs” for $15. I have come to accept that if you want “official” major league products, you have to pay the “official” major league price. I selected the blue yarmulke.
While I was at it, I decided to buy a Youkilis t-shirt for David. I had a choice between red and blue; I chose blue. Since it was an “official” major league t-shirt, it was $30. I had decided that today I was going to be a sport. No knock-offs; no seconds; no sale prices. I am going first class. I whipped out my Master Card credit card, the preferred credit card of the Boston Red Sox, and as I handed it to the sales person, I asked him, half-jokingly, if I can get a discount. I was going to explain that I am a member of the AARP, AAA, WGBH, WBUR, or any other group that might be entitled to a discount. Before I could list the organizations to which I belong, he said, “Sure.”
He casually rang up the sale and handed me the receipt to sign. I smiled, signed the “merchant’s” receipt, took my purchase, and my receipt, said goodbye and thanks, and left the store. When I got to the car, I looked at the copy of my receipt. For the $45 sale, he charged my $23. That is one hell of a discount. We should all be so lucky to get sales people like that. It pays to ask.
4-22-11
It was a pleasant Thursday morning. I had made my list of all the things I wanted to do that day. Among them was buying a small present for Itai for his Bar Mitzvah (to accompany the check). The light bulb went on above my head. A great idea and a great two-fer. A Boston Red Sox yarmulke! Combining our love for Judaism with our love for the Red Sox. The “official” Boston Red Sox yarmulke is only sold at the “Official Red Sox Team Store on Yawkey Way Across from Fenway Park.” I had the time, so I drove down Brookline Avenue to Yawkey Way, and entered the Red Sox souvenir supermarket.
The place was jammed. I didn’t realize this was spring break and though the Red Sox were playing in Los Angeles, fans were making pilgrimages to Fenway, taking pictures and buying tchotchkes. I asked a salesperson where I might buy a yarmulke. She pointed me to a counter on the other side of the store. I was delighted that she knew what a yarmulke was. I asked the sales person at the counter she sent me to, for a yarmulke. She explained that she no longer carried them, and sent me to a third counter. There, a knowledgeable young man explained that they had blue, red and white yarmulkes, each with beautifully embroidered “Bs” for $15. I have come to accept that if you want “official” major league products, you have to pay the “official” major league price. I selected the blue yarmulke.
While I was at it, I decided to buy a Youkilis t-shirt for David. I had a choice between red and blue; I chose blue. Since it was an “official” major league t-shirt, it was $30. I had decided that today I was going to be a sport. No knock-offs; no seconds; no sale prices. I am going first class. I whipped out my Master Card credit card, the preferred credit card of the Boston Red Sox, and as I handed it to the sales person, I asked him, half-jokingly, if I can get a discount. I was going to explain that I am a member of the AARP, AAA, WGBH, WBUR, or any other group that might be entitled to a discount. Before I could list the organizations to which I belong, he said, “Sure.”
He casually rang up the sale and handed me the receipt to sign. I smiled, signed the “merchant’s” receipt, took my purchase, and my receipt, said goodbye and thanks, and left the store. When I got to the car, I looked at the copy of my receipt. For the $45 sale, he charged my $23. That is one hell of a discount. We should all be so lucky to get sales people like that. It pays to ask.
4-22-11
Original Format
application/msword
Collection
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “It Pays to Ask,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed April 27, 2024, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/151.