An All Time Lowe

"Customer assistance needed in fashion plumbing.  Customer assistance needed in fashion plumbing."

I looked at Dan, my Lowe's salesguy, who was dutifully keying in my carpet install order.  Curious to see if I'd heard the overhead announcement correctly, I asked him,  "Did they say 'fashion plumbing'?"

"Yep," he replied, never looking up from his computer.

I pictured pink curvy S-pipes with high heels and matching accessories.

"What exactly is fashion plumbing?" I felt compelled to ask him.

Dan wheeled around to face me. "You know, shower doors, sinks, toilets, tub surrounds...but none of it is actually very pretty."

Exactly.  I mean really.  Let's call a spade a spade.

Thinking I was safe from Vogue magazine pulling up at any minute, I glanced at some of the carpet samples to pass the time while Dan was estimating my child's college fund away.  It was then that I noticed that the last set of Berber choices were on a large wooden frame entitled, "Fashion Forward."

Where was I, anyway?  Wasn't this the toughest and brawniest hardware store with the highest ceilings known to man?  Seemed like it was becoming a little soft around its hardscaped edges.....

I looked back at Dan (who was medium-fashionable) and he yawned.  "What a day," he moaned. "So busy, kinda stressful."  I only had time to utter an "Oh man, that's rough," when he put his hand up to stop me from saying anything more.  "Don't feel sorry for me, " he said.  "At least I have a job."

He stopped me dead in my verbal tracks.  I loved his viewpoint.  Instead of moaning and complaining about his long hours, unnecessarily large workload, or hectic schedule, he didn't want any pity because he realized there was none to be had.  He knew that he was one of the fortunate ones;  he was gainfully employed.

And that took my respect level for Dan, the Lowe's salesguy, to the next level.

Go ahead Dan.  Estimate away.  I'm here to say you've got the right perspective.