While I was diligently at work the back of my mind was elsewhere thinking about the work place dental benefits that had just kicked in. Suddenly those thoughts were intruded upon by a loud and belligerent…..
“Your competitor offers 10 % for Vets !” ……. finished by
“This will be the last time I’ll shop here!!….Ever …… that’s for sure!”
That’s what the man barked nastily when I told him his military separation papers known as the “DD 214” weren’t ample enough to provide a 10 % discount off of his purchase. This common incident at the store sent me straight back to the back of the mind in reminiscence. As I watched the rear of his departing head storm away I stood there giving thought to the benefits offered me upon my own extremely happy departure from military life so long ago. Nowhere in the military contract did it mention anything about 10% off any future purchases in the retail world that I could recall. What it did generously offer however was several years of educational benefits and free dental for the entire first year of freedom…. .
Being extremely young upon entering the military I was also extremely young upon my happy departure from it. This meant that the wonderful benefit of a year of free dental was used to have the wisdom teeth removed. The necessary hitch hike to town in order to have the somewhat surgical procedure performed was no bother at all. What I absent mindedly hadn’t considered was the requisite hitch hike back home. The first car to stop was quick in coming and its driver cheerily bellowed out…..
“Where ya heading Buddy?”
And I tried to explain even though it was somewhat difficult with a face overdosing on Novocain. The sight of the drool and my response of …….
“Gribblet sesh Hooshkett” ……forced his hand and the driver hastily sped off without me. And so did the next.
The man with the DD 214 sheepishly came back the next day having learned that 10% off of a product that cost 12% more isn’t that great of a deal after all. While I diligently worked his order I escaped yet again to the back of the mind and smiled broadly at the thought of how he’d look after successfully demanding a 10% discount from his dentist…..
He smiled back at my cheerful helpfulness.
