Retail: brain optional

Last night, I took two photo CDs to Blacks. It was their deadline for photo calendars if I want them back for Christmas. They wouldn’t take them, despite telling me earlier that bringing in CDs would be okay. How come? “We need the prints so we can scan them to a computer file for the calendar.” I tried to explain to them that the CDs already contained the computer files, so scanning would be unnecessary. “Sorry, that’s the way we’ve always done it.” I once asked if a store took American Express and they said yes. When I handed them my card, they said, “Sorry, we don’t take American Express.” I’ve been with Ed when he ordered a BLT and they asked, “Would you like lettuce and tomato on that?” Obviously, brains are optional in some retail establishments.