Christmas Shopping

So it's upon us. Tis the season to be jolly. Hmmm, but ... Well I tried to start Christmas shopping. Really. The first place we went was SportChek in Pacific Center. Quite a few employees in there. They didn't have the Adidas wear I wanted, but the pleasant young man was helpful. So my wife picked up an item from UnderArmor and went to pay at the checkout. Another young man was already there, taking the phone. We had our money out ready to pay. He called for a cashier. We waited. Other employees were about, looking important and knowledgeable about sports. Casual, fit, young people. The man called again for a cashier.
I began to get nervous about waiting when I saw that no one appeared to notice. I sidled slowly toward the entrance. Hearing again a call for a cashier. My wife waited. I finally left the store and waited in the mall.
Then after the fourth call, a young girl came running from another store to answer the call for a cashier!
My wife thinks I am impatient. We argue lightly for a minute about customer service. She says it's never going to be like it used to be. We are just too old now. We remember stuff.
But I said, why offer a store your money if they're so lax the cashier isn't even IN the store? Was she the only one who could work the machine?
Wife said again that's the way it'll be this year. I said those Americans at Bellis Faire want my money, they're at the cash register smiling at me when I am there. That's customer service.
I might try a few more stores this year for my Christmas shopping. Give Canadians a chance. Maybe. But my list isn't about who I'm getting gifts for, it's a list of stores I was intending to shop at this year.
I've already crossed one off that list.
Maybe I'll just get everyone a pound of Humbugs.