here is his story.....
Yesterday morning I woke up and decided I would do something nice for others, at this point I didn’t know what or to whom, but knew that somewhere out there people needed some holiday cheer.
I put some thought into it and ultimately settled on giving away money, after all who does not like money? With $1300 cash in my pocket I was headed out the door and going to Americas largest retailer Walmart. While driving to the store my head was filled with possible ways to offer the money, ultimately purchasing one hundred and thirty, ten dollar Walmart gift cards was my decision.
I walked to the customer service department and when it was my turn, requested to purchase one hundred and thirty ten dollar Walmart gift cards. The customer service rep called another for assistance. The next twenty eight minutes was spent standing and waiting for each card to be scanned and activated. The nice associate told me next time my company wanted to purchase so many, I should call in advance and that way I would not have to wait. Little did she know that it was not a company, or big business buying these cards, it was a regular guy, someone who is unemployed for the first time in their life, someone who just wanted to spread some holiday cheer in today’s tough economic times.
Once the transaction was completed I thanked the associate and handed her a gift card, she smiled and said we are not permitted to accept gifts. I picked up the card and headed for the front of the store and began passing out the gift cards. I was standing just inside the entrance as it was 17 degrees outside, and also by being positioned where I was standing all of the anxious shoppers would converge on me from the two other side entrance doors.
With a card in hand as families, couples and individuals walked, I handed them a gift card and offered them a “happy holidays”. Many just took it, not realizing what was being offered, some asked “what is this” and I responded, it’s a gift card, go buy something. Some stood in disbelief of what just happened and asked why? To that I said why not ?
I had passed out around 82 cards over the next twenty five minutes, and at that point the store greeter approaches me and says, “whats going on people are asking me about the gift cards”. I told her I was giving them out to everyone who walked into the store. She left and I once again began handing out the cards.
A few minutes had passed when another associate approaches me and says “can I help you?” I responded, no I am doing fine, and offered them a gift card and a happy holidays, he said “I don’t want this” he than walked away. I had only passed out a few more cards when another associate approaches and says, I need to come with them. I comply and as walking he tells me “my cards are worthless, they have no value” I told him that was impossible, he than questions me, where did I get them?, did I buy them?
Several customers who I had given gift cards to had gathered around when I was being questioned, I explained I bought them, I have receipts, the associate requested to see them, and I complied. I was not rude, bitter, in fact I was rather passive as my intentions were honorable and I didn’t want to upset anyone. The associate had another manager come and I was asked to hand over several gift cards, I pulled out a rather large four inch bundle held together by a rubber band in my right pocket. They attempted to scan the first card and it initially appeared not to have any value, but with in a moment the manager informed the other associate that they had entered in some wrong code prior to the scan, once entered correctly and scanned my gift cards showed they had a ten dollar value.
At this point the manager and associate told me, “ you have to leave the store”, “you cant stay here”
I could not believe my ears, are they out of their minds I thought, what is wrong with these people? I just spent $1300.00 in their store, with the sole intention of giving away all the cards to customers who had just entered the store.
I was handed my cards, put them in my pocket and at this point one of the customers who was listening to the conversation extend his hand and shakes mine. He tells me he had always wished he could do the exact same thing, but never had the money to make it happen. Several other customers shook their head in disbelief that Walmart was telling me I had to leave their store.
I left their store, I walked outside and stood in the freezing cold and commenced handing out the cards, only a minute had passed when they came out and said I had to leave the premises.
As I began to leave, I saw to police cars parked in front of Wal-Mart at another entrance, I figured that those officers would appreciate the cards. I entered the store and observed the two officers standing along side a store manager and a person in handcuffs. As I approached the officers, I said, “I know you working, please accept these gift cards, go buy something” As I turned and walked away both had a huge smile on their faces.
I left the parking lot at 5:40 pm, I still have over forty gift cards in my pocket. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine that a store such as Wal-Mart would throw me out….So much for holiday cheer, Wal-Mart could give a rats ass once they get your money.
Posted :: Today 9:23:58 AM
