How may I help you?

The battery on my Hyundai konked out. So I decided to go to WalMart to get a new one.

I realize there are people who won't shop at WalMart due to labor issues and other business practices. On the other hand, here is an american company that got it right when it comes to competing in the global market place. And they set the standard for inventory control. None the less, it is aggravating to shop there at times. We all have our stories, but I think I've found a chink in their inventory armor.

I went to the automotive entrance as I had to get a cart and unload my old battery for a core exchange. There was an associate collecting carts and moving them from the drop off point to next to the door. So I took one from him so I could transport my battery core into the store. Then when I got to the entrance he said, looking right at me, something like "these carts go here next to the door." And I"m like "What?" And he repeated what he said. Then I asked, "do I need to return my cart here?" "These carts go next to this door and those carts go next to the front door." And I'm like "What?" And then he looks at me upset and says "I'm talking to myself!" I wanted to say, "What the heck! Are you crazy!?"... But then I realized that he probably was crazy and so I didn't say anything and went in with my cart, looking back, in case he tried to attack me for taking the cart in the wrong direction.

When I got in the store there were several people waiting. So I got in line. There were two lines. One for service, and the other for parts. I got in the parts line. There was a redneck and a punk infront of me. Not to be judgemental. The redneck had a tank top on and a mullet and the punk had his hat on backwards and all kinds of piercings. "You guys been waiting long?" I asked. "not too long." the redneck said. Oh,.. the redneck had three great big bags of dog food along with his auto parts in his cart. (not that people who own dogs are automatically rednecks!) They just look like rednecks when they have three great big bags of dog food at WalMart along with auto parts....

So finally it's my turn to get served. "need a battery for my Hyundai." So this old grandmother lady with a vest that says on the back HOW MAY I HELP YOU, looks in this book. And we get to the Hyundai section and they don't have a battery for my car or most of the other Hyundais.

"We don't sell one." "You've got to be kidding!" I say. I could sort of understand it if I drove a Range Rover or something but a Hyundai? The lowest end car that you can get?!!! So I looked the batteries over and bought one the same size as the one I returned. But I found out when I got it home that the terminals are reversed so I couldn't hook it up, (until I clipped the zip ties on the cables.) What the heck? Get with the program Korea! WalMart is bigger than you!

That's pretty bad when your car is so cheap that WalMart won't even sell a battery for it.