The dream was very mundane in nature. I went to a major retail store to buy a new MP3 player. Product A looked pretty, but had a shitty interface and was heavily restricted in customizable features. Product B was able to have custom firmware loaded, but the output was notoriously clipped. Neither one really appealed to me, but as I had no working MP3 player at home, either one was better than nothing. Right?
I had already chased off the salesman. He had returned with his supervisor. I heard the supervisor coaching him how to take over the conversation and steer me into buying the more profitable of the two. The salesman approached me but my glare made him back down.
The supervisor approached me and was not deflected by my glare. He never made eye contact and talked down to me like a kid. He had overheard I had no MP3 player and felt he could make a decision for me.
I almost let him.
I snatched Product B, the product they did not want me to choose and walked away from him towards the registers. As I did, I considered the features and shortcomings of it and realized I was throwing good money after bad. If I bought anything here, I was playing right into their hands. I was still being used.
Fuck everything about this.
I went to the store manager and filed a complaint with him. His attitude let me know this too was a useless act.
“I know you’re dismissing me because I’m a woman and therefore irrelevant. That’s nice. Enjoy your complaint with corporate. Enjoy the detailed description of your employee’s actions that can not be scrubbed off the Internet. Enjoy the fact I still have the choice of not purchasing anything at all, a choice I will be taking. Enjoy my purchases being made elsewhere from now on. Enjoy knowing I am the major influencer of my friends’ and family’s purchases as well. Your store’s attitude has cost you future revenue. I’ll make sure Corporate knows just who to thank.”
Every time I mentioned Corporate, he paled a little more. He said I was bluffing. I showed him my tablet with the letter/review already written. He offered a discount and an apology. I refuse to take bribes from abusers. He threatened to call security. I pointed out the two people that were leaving from overhearing the conversation. He accused me of theft. I laughed as I placed the product in his hands and walked out the door and out the dream.
So. What in my life am I trying to choose between the lesser of two evils, and why haven’t I walked away yet?
Also, this experience fits every time I walk into Best Buy. Fuck Best Buy.