OCD in the BX

So maybe it’s because I’m currently unemployed.  Or maybe it’s because my mother used to insist that we should all put displaced things where they belong, whether it’s our “chore” or not.  Or maybe it’s because everything else in the military is scripted and organized.

In any case, yesterday I jogged to the BX, combining the unlikable goal of running with the likeable goal of checking out the After-Christmas sales.  I cruised through five clearance racks of women’s clothing and suddenly noticed a grey dress that had been on Rack #1, and had been marked 50% off over there, but here on Rack #5, the same item was only 25% off.  Now, I didn’t want this dress.  I’d look ridiculous in it.  But, I immediately felt concern for whoever DID want this dress, and who might buy the wrong one, and pay too much for it.  So, I found a sweet European BX employee, and showed her the error.  She instructed me to take both up to the register, to get the cheaper price.  Well, I still didn’t want them, but decided that for the good of society, to take them up front and have the price corrected anyhow.  

Then, I moved onto the juniors rack – where I found an adorable swimsuit set, but the top was XS and the bottom was XL.  Huh.  No wonder these aren’t selling!  They should just sell them separately, silly people…  I added them to my pile. 

Then, in the makeup section, I noticed two black eyeliner pens in the clearance basket.  There were two, which made me think they must belong there.  Yet, they had no orange tags.  Were they really on clearance?  I searched the non-clearance area, to see if their relatives were on clearance.  Nope.  They cost $2.69.  So, I found the same employee and asked her to check the price on the black pens.  They, too, were $2.69, and obviously had been misplaced.  Naturally, to spare the world confusion and disappointment, I deposited them in their home, next to their brown and green and grey regularly-priced cousins.

Around this time, I noticed the trend.   So, did the amiable employee.  At our final encounter, she giggled and, in a thick accent, declared, “You schould vork here!” 

Yeah.   Apparently I should.  Wonder if they’re hiring perfectionists for 2011 yet…