That guy at the hardware store still bugs me

I was at Ace Hardware last Tuesday looking for a specific size o-ring for a faucet. This older guy in the plumbing aisle just walks up and says, "You know, you could just replace the whole cartridge for $4 more." I told him I just needed the o-ring, but he kept following me around pointing at different parts. He even grabbed my cart to show me a kit. It went on for like ten minutes until I just left without buying anything. Has anyone else had a random stranger at a store act like they know your project better than you do?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela8909d ago

Gonna have to disagree with you a bit here. That guy probably meant well and just wanted to help, even if it came off pushy. Some older folks at hardware stores have been doing DIY stuff for decades and they get excited when they see someone working on a project. I've had guys come up and give me tips that actually saved me a ton of time later on, even if I thought I knew what I was doing at first. Maybe he was just lonely or bored and wanted to chat with someone who shared his hobby. Next time try just saying "thanks but I've got it" firmly and keep moving, most people will take the hint.

cooper.reese9d ago

Oh man, this whole thing taps into something I've noticed more and more. People just can't seem to let others figure things out for themselves anymore. It's like everyone's got an opinion on how you should tie your shoes or load the dishwasher. I was at the grocery store last month just staring at two different brands of olive oil and this lady comes over and tells me the cheaper one has a better smoke point. I didn't even ask. It makes you wonder if we've all gotten so used to giving advice on the internet that we forgot how to keep it to ourselves in real life.