Thursday, August 6, 2009

a Penny for your Thoughts

<--- Pocket portfolios at Office Max = 1 cent, limit 6.
Gas to Orem = $6.
Lunch at Chadders =$14

Deciding that we need at least 175 folders and doing what it takes to get them? PRICELESS.

My good friend Diane is an elementary school teacher in Payson. She is a little CRAZY about her folder usage. She wants each student to have 5 folders apiece. These are color-coordinated, as in RED MATH FOLDER, etc. Last year we purchased these folders for a penny each at Office Max. There was a limit of 9, so we asked the kind checker if we could perhaps purchase them in separate transactions. LAST year, checker said yes.

Fast forward to Monday. Diane talked her boyfriend into purchasing folders with her. SHE can purchase 12 (twice the limit) because she is a teacher. Two stores later, Diane is the proud owner of 36 folders.

Fast forward to Tuesday. I offer to go to Office Max and use my double limit teacher magic. We left the Office Max in Provo with 24 folders (60 total, for those of you who are mathematically inclined).

We then travelled to the Orem Office Max. Before we walked into the store, I said, "Okay, Diane. We are NOT leaving without all of the folders we need."

We both sadly purchased our limits, (ONLY 78 folders, as I was sans school ID) and then began mulling through the store considering options. As Diane wandered, I walked up to a stranger. With all the courage and charisma I could muster, I said, "Hey. I have a strange question. If I give you money, will you purchase 6 folders for me? I have reached my limit." He looked at me, said, "Sure," and Diane walked with him to the register. I found a second "helper" and our grand plan was born. We left a stack of purchased folders up near the register and kept sneak-attacking strangers, asking them to help us out. We would hand them change and the 6 folders, and they would happily go through the line.

At this point, the Office Max workers became wise to what we were doing. And they let us. And they laughed at us. And one of them started pointing out where in the store we could find more customers! This lasted for a while until finally, VICTORY, the manager said that we could, WAIT FOR IT . . .
purchase the last 8 folders on our own.

<---Each receipt also came with a Save $5 on a $25 dollar purchase from Payless. Do we seem like people who would ever spend that much money in one place?!

4 comments:

Jamie said...

I needed that little giggle!

Diane said...

We could possibly be some of the coolest people I know. Seriously, highlight of my week... Probably the highlight of any shopping that has or will take place this year! You will be proud to know the folders are neatly place on each student's desk - labled with subject and student name! Hurray for being OCD!

Michelle said...

Girls, girls! I LOVED this story the first time on the phone (and I'm still glad you weren't slutty . . .), and I love reading it again. :) Yay you!

kriddlec said...

To clarify: I told Michelle the story over the phone and said, "I'm not ashamed to say it, but I was a little sweaty." I was talking about how nervous it made me. Every time I approached a stranger I felt like I was asking someone out or something. Michelle misheard and thought that I was slutty to get the folders, not sweaty. Awkward. :)