AMERICAN stories

Today I went with my father to a store in the valley outside of Los Angeles. That is where my parents live. My father bought some swiss chard. The price said 1.29 per bunch. The checker run up 1.39. When my father said that he had charged ten cents too much, the checker went to check! This is what happened: "Sir, you are absolutely right, the price was ten cents less than what I was going to charge you for it, SO.....you get the swiss chard for free!"
THIS would not happen in Italy
THIS is what happens in America
I have been out of the States for so long that I find it yes, NICE, but also so exaggerated and actually sort of ridiculous. I understand keeping customers, and that the checker had made a mistake....but I can't understand the store needing to keep a customer over such a trivial mistake as this. Perhaps a little free something, but to give the product for free....only in America is something like this possible!!!

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 17, 2009 at 9:44am

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 19, 2009 at 8:24am

Marijuana
Only in America

Just saw the news. Supposedly right next to a police station very close to my parent's home here in L.A. someone was growing thousands of dollars worth of marijuana! The police actually could smell the product, that is how they discovered the crop. The name of the television service was Police and Odor (how terribly cute is that!)
These American news reports....so entertaining, so totally different from Italian news!

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 20, 2009 at 7:43am

POLICE in action

I was in a store today and I saw two police cars park out front. In walked two huge policemen...strolling into the store, muscular, strutting in with two of those sticks that they carry (name please?) and swinging them around. They went towards the dressing room of the men's side of the store, and stood outdoors.
I thought "Should I duck? Should I get out of the store to avoid gunshots?" I then noticed the two people in line before me and the 5 people behind me. I looked at the cashiers, and I looked at people shopping. NO ONE WAS LOOKING AT THE POLICE EXCEPT FOR ME! I could not believe it....I was the only one concerned. Poor Steph, poor little Italian American Stephanie. I felt alone, the only one afraid. Or was I seeing things? Perhaps the police were not even there! No one cared, no one was afraid. Everyone, I imagine was used to living with police around them, constantly, constant danger and aggression and violence. It is a way of life, nothing exciting, just normal everyday occurances to see police in every moment of their day (or am I just imagining that this is the way it is in Los Angeles?)

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 21, 2009 at 10:16am

Crisis or no crisis....just where IS it?

Is the crisis in America really happening here? I was in a completely full restaurant tonight and it is definitely hard to believe. Then I went to the movies and there were plenty of people.
In America it just doesn't seem that the crisis is here. The streets are filled with expensive huge cars and people are having fun.
Is THIS the crisis we hear about? Sure doesn't look like it to me.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 21, 2009 at 4:34pm

SANTA on Thanksgiving
Los Angeles 2009

I was in a shopping mall in Los Angeles. Just sitting there having some yogurt.
I heard some tinkling little bells.....I knew that sound, it had come from my past as a child! It could only be one thing! S A N T A C L A U S!!!
I turned my head around after saying to my mother "Who IS that, SANTA CLAUS?" I could not believe it!! It really WAS Santa! There he was (could have been in SHORTS) in a red suit, nice beard, walking around, saying hello to children in the mall. Darn I wish I had had my camera!
What is that telling us? Santa on the 18th of November....more than a month early. To tell us....I imagine "People, go into the shops and buy, buy BUY!!". I was amused and disgusted at the same time. THIS is America also. THIS is the economy suffering, THIS can only happen here in the States....I am still in a daze about seeing one of the most famous people in the world, in a long warm suit, in beautiful Los Angeles weather (people are still in shorts, and some in sandals)....the one and only MR. SANTA CLAUS!

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 23, 2009 at 9:12am

CARS AND FUN IN L.A.

Went to three car shows....and THAT for me was extremely fun. It was totally different from my life in Italy, but at the same time I went back into time....into my youth, growing up here, with some lovely old cars. It was super fun to see the polished, brightly painted, glossy cars of all years, the 70's the 60's the 50's and before! And the people were so in love with their babies, their cars, the objects that they put so much love into....they take them to all the shows, show them off, try to sell them, and let ME take photos of!
I loved it....even if I was up early to get there, it was worth it. Later I'll have photos to share. In the meantime, if you have any old cars to post...please do. I love the chrome, the colors, the design and the memories they bring up.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 24, 2009 at 4:38pm

Strange being in my own land

Here I am in the house I grew up in. I feel cold in California! I brought the wrong clothes actually = it is very warm in the day and very cold at night. I don't understand the rushing to buy so much, at all ages....people get all the newest things to make life easier. Isn't it easy enough with all they have here? Do they really need the newest gizmo??
Right now the wind is blowing strongly outside...I guess those are the Santa Ana winds that cause the fires here in California?
Anyhow, I feel like a foreigner here in my own hometown. I look at things with different eyes...eyes that were born here, but at the same time that have seen many different lands. The vision is different than if I had stayed here my whole life. And, even though I fit in (in a way) I know I am a little different. It's great fun, and at the same time, I easily see the faults, basically what I felt when I was a girl and left for Europe.
Interesting.
THAT it is.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 25, 2009 at 3:50am

Buying one shoe at the cash register

THIS silly thing made me reflect. A woman in line at the cash register looked at just one high heel sitting there, in the middle of the mess of the store Mashall's. It was only ONE shoe. Where was the other, I do not know. But the woman took it, studied it, considered it possibly. She was in line, time was short, she had to buy her other purchases. But she may have considered trying to buy this one shoe....or running to find the other in time to buy her things. It was crazy.
Just seeing that mess of items, that crowd of people....everyone desperately buying something. Anything. EVERYTHING.
And I? A sensible pair of shoes....just that. But tomorrow....who knows...I may be looking at just one glove or mitten at the cash register...just like them.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 25, 2009 at 3:53am

Buying one shoe at the cash register

THIS silly thing made me reflect. A woman in line at the cash register looked at just one high heel sitting there, in the middle of the mess of the store Mashall's. It was only ONE shoe. Where was the other, I do not know. But the woman took it, studied it, considered it possibly. She was in line, time was short, she had to buy her other purchases. But she may have considered trying to buy this one shoe....or running to find the other in time to buy her things. It was crazy.
Just seeing that mess of items, that crowd of people....everyone desperately buying something. Anything. EVERYTHING.
And I? A sensible pair of shoes....just that. But tomorrow....who knows...I may be looking at just one glove or mitten at the cash register...just like them.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 27, 2009 at 4:41pm

Thanksgiving back in my home
L.A.

Lots of you have had your Thanksgiving and I did too this year, back in the home I grew up in. Yes, it was great. Yes it felt nice being with people who care, care about one another. We had our turkey, our laughs, our hugging when it was time to say goodby. The kids have grown, the smiles warm as ever.
We held hands saying, each one, what we were thankful for. Each one said something different, but the message was pretty much the same.
And I, this year, back in the house I knew as a child, after all these years in Italy, was thanked for having come to the States to be with familly. It felt so nice, it was special....and a holiday I have always loved. A lot of work of aging parents, but this year I could help out too.
Great day.
One to remember.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 28, 2009 at 10:21am

Shopping in Los Angeles
Black Friday

Ridiculous! Fun, silly, crazy, nutty, original, exhausting, stupid, confusing, odd, exaggerated, convenient, useful, ricidulous.....!!!!!
Shopping non-stop in Los Angeles. Some camped out in front of the stores! The stores opened at 5am, some from the night before....total insanity!
Embarassing to the rest of the world....how can stores do that? How can people do it?
I personally had a good excuse...prices in Itally are so so so so so much higher...and I needed many things, and so did my daughter. So, I joined it.
I won't tell you how many hours I shopped and laughed with my best friend. It was so amusing, but I learned a lot about sales, discounts, coupons, telephone calling, credit cards, and it was an eye opener for me.
Like I said, I feel like a foreigner here.....it may be my own country, but it has gotten totally out of hand. And I feel like I am seeing it for the first time. Each time I visit it is more surprising. Fun, but insane!

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 29, 2009 at 8:55am

GUNS FOR SALE

GREAT!!!!! Went into a sporting goods shop in Los Angeles. Was there just to look around, actually to buy some good buys we can't get in Italy (and we spend a lot more than here). A young man came in with an Asian girlfriend or wife. He asked
"Do you sell pistols?"
"Yes we do. What kind were you looking for?"
and then the man gave the name of the gun.
I could not believe my ears!!! I didn't know buying a gun was so easy. Just walk into a store and ask to buy a pistol. GREAT!! And to overhear the conversation I was startled and shocked. Amazing!!! In Italy I had never heard such an easy conversation...do you sell guns?
THIS is part of my eye-opener in Los Angeles. This too happens here. What a place....what a change from my little town in Italy. And how many stories I will have to tell.