Babies are beacons of hope in small packages. They compel people, even those in the customer service industry, to be more generous, kind, and empathetic.
I’ve never particularly had great faith in the customer service industry; but at this juncture in my life, I’m starting to come around. Overall I’m convinced that people are innately compelled to be more empathetic, and nicer, when there is a baby involved. It makes sense, really. Babies are innocent, adorable, and unadulterated; they are beacons of hope.
My baby and I went out to run errands today, and our first stop was at Old Navy. We went in with a twenty-dollar voucher and a coupon for a free baby bodysuit with any purchase. When we got up to the cashier, my morale sunk as I realized that the coupon I’d been coveting had actually expired in 2012.
I went against my instincts and decided to give it the employee, despite the technicality. She, completely cognizant of this hindering detail, accepted the coupon with a kind heart. Then after she took the twenty dollars off my total bill, she instructed me to swipe my card.
An error came up on the screen, to which she informed me that in order to use the “Old Navy Bucks” I had to pay with my Old Navy Credit Card. I responded with the notorious, deer-in-headlights- “Oh-no!-I-don’t-have-the-right-card-on-me” face. And before I could even try to negotiate with her, she had already hit a few keys on her keyboard letting that infraction slide, too!
In accordance with my frugal agenda, I, defeatedly, told her that we would have to return later with the “right” coupons. Before taking a farewell step, though, the woman expressed to me that she had an extra coupon on file that she could apply towards our bill! I couldn’t contain my excitement as I thanked her, and my precious baby.
I believe if it weren’t for her adorable mug, our highly successful, thrift-riddled shopping excursion would have turned out to be futile at best.