Have you ever gone into a store here, and asked an employee where an item might be located? Please don’t, for if they were standing in front of it they’ll tell you it’s out of stock. Are they messing with you? No, they really don’t know, and won’t break up the gab fest to find out. Pay me less than five dollars a day and see how I’d respond.

My last tour of duty prior to retiring, and the reason for retiring, was being the Commissary Store Officer in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. As a Senior Chief my pay was OK, but I still had trouble dealing with the concept that the “Customer was always right”.

On one afternoon I’m approached by a lady, a tad overweight, and carrying a blanket with a basketball that had arms and legs. And she demanded to know why the store didn’t carry baby formula with WHEY. I pleaded the fifth amendment, and called Jacksonville Florida and asked if such an item was available, it was, and it would be put on the next barge the following Monday. Feeling that I’d done a good thing I found the lady and told her what I had done for her. Her response; “What the hell do I feed my baby until then?” I glanced down to her copious chest and said; “I was breast fed and turned out fine!”

Spoke to the base Commanded later that day. He smiled and explained diplomacy to me. I requested an Embassy tour from BUPERS but was denied.

Well it did prove that you can’t please everybody, and maybe you shouldn’t try, but it made me a better customer while I was shopping!

So remember “We choose to live here” and give those underpaid kid’s a break.