Yesterday, when we got back from our trip, we made a desperate run to the grocery store. We were out of everything except onions and mustard.

I've been having trouble with my garage door opener and the battery seemed the likely culprit so I carefully wrote down the name and number of the thing on my list so I'd have it at the store.

The lady at the battery/photo/whatever counter was busy with a customer so I hunkered down, because the batteries are near the floor, and searched myself and had no luck so when she finished, I asked her if she had any batteries for my garage door opener and showed her the number.

"I don't know," she said, "Don't you see it down there?"

"No," I said. "That's why I was asking." (I said it in an information giving way, not a snotty way.)

"What?" she said, all snippy. WTF? Yeah lady, I see bags of them hanging here, I just wondered if you did.

This reminds me of another time I was at a much loathed chain bookstore but I needed a particular item for a gift and stood at the help counter for ages while the surly twenty-somethings did some riveting thing that necessitated ignoring me for 5 minutes. Finally one of them turns and wanders over and says, "Did you need some help?"

No. I thought this would be a nice place to stand. What is wrong with people?