Don’t mess with an ex bus-driver!

The other day (Saturday, December 19, 2009) I happened to patronize Lori’s Funky Food Market in deepest, darkest Henrietta.
The reason was to pick up a case of Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice cereal I had ordered.
Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice is salt-free.
I have ordered the stuff so many times I know a case costs $20.40.
I tried to order it online from Amazon once.
They wanted less per bag, but a gold-mine to ship it.
It cost way more per bag from Amazon.
My wife had also picked up a small tube of Burt’s Bees lip-balm — about the size of lipstick.
The clerk rang up everything, processed our charge-card, and I signed.
I happened to look at it later; $43.55?
“Holy mackerel!” I thought to myself. “How much did they want for that lip balm? What’s it made of?”
$2.60.
What’s going on?
I got back in line.
“What’s going on here?” I asked the harried clerk.
“You purchased two cases of Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice.
“NOT! I only purchased one.”
Heavy-hitters were brought in.
“Do you have your purchase?”
“Right over there!” I snapped.
My wife walked over with our single case of Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice.
A heavy-hitter eyed my receipt, and observed that I had indeed been double-charged for my single case of Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice.
“How did that happen?” she asked.
Another heavy-hitter was brought in to process a credit.
Don’t mess with an ex bus-driver!

• For 16&1/2 years (1977-1993) I drove transit bus for Regional Transit Service, the transit-bus operator in Rochester, NY.
• “Deepest, darkest Henrietta” is a rather effusive and obnoxious suburb south of Rochester.
• Amazon.com.
• My wife of 42 years is “Linda.”