Have you ever waited endlessly for your husband to return from a parts run? Have any of the women reading this ever gone to a parts store? Have you sent him for a piece of pipe, only to have him return with a truck load of items? If you want it done quickly, go yourself. Save your sanity and take a trip. Go see what they do there.
One day turned into a week that turned into a month. I remember sending my husband to the parts store, only to have to call and ask where he had gone. I had figured a short half hour trip at the most. After 2 hours I got worried. The answer I got when I called and asked if he was ok was, "Of course I'm OK. I just went for parts". When I asked what was taking so long, his response was, " you in a hurry"?
So as a time saver, next trip, I went myself. What an eye opener.
The drive took approximately 5 minutes. The walk into the store took about 1 minute. The wait inside the store was endless. I could never understand why, in a parts store, there were stools in front of the counter. Now I know.
The stools are there, because no one wants to go first. They all want to sit and have coffee (the pot in the store would make any coffee company proud). They talk and compare notes about what projects they have on the go, what projects they are planning and the shitty way so and so did the one down the street. Everyone has an opinion. Not much work gets done there. The guys behind the counter are all moving and look busy.
Now I don't have a lot of patience for lazy and slow people. If I want something, I want it now, not tomorrow. Most of the men in the store, are more than willing to let a "lady" go first. The only problem with that is you have to get an employee to stop and help you. Like I said, they are all moving. Not sure doing what, but they don't stop and ask if they can help you, so it must be important. I did see one of them bring a small bag of parts to the counter while I was STANDING there and lay it on the counter. It just sat there the whole time I was there.
When they finally do stop, or you say you need some help, everyone stops what they are doing and stares at you. I guess your not suppose to ask for help. (must be that guy thing again, I guess it crosses over to parts just like directions). They all listened intently to what I had to say, then the parts guy disappeared into the back for what seemed like forever, returning with the items I needed. "Do you want to put this on Mike's account? he asked". What account? I did not know we had an account. How did they know who I was? Do I have Mike's wife on my forehead? Who are these people and how do they know Mike? Which Mike? No, I have cash. Getting a little paranoid I paid for my items and quickly headed out the door.
On the way home, I tried to rationalize what had just happened.
I have come to the conclusion, that since most men don't gossip, they need an outlet. The parts, electrical, plumbing, automotive and other "MEN" type stores are their information highway. The stools allow them to get in touch with other men who need information too. The employees know this and check now and then at the counter for parts lists that are slipped to them without the customer asking. Then a grouping of the items appears by the register for pickup.
It is a strange way these males have of getting information and items all in the same trip. Now don't put them down for their time frame. They all wear watches, or most of them, but they are only used so the owner knows when lunch is and the work day ends. They don't know any better. It has been this way for 100's of years. You just need to look at any gathering of the male species that has taken place throughout time to see what I mean.
So the next time you need parts of any kind, remember, if your in a hurry go yourself. If you have the time to spend waiting for your items, send a male. He may come home with some juicy information that you can pass to your friends. We all win in the end by just "Going for parts".
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