Being Liberal With The Prices

Next to our hot island where we have hot food for customers to grab, we have a large sign advertising the sale price on rotisserie chickens. This week they’re on sale for $4.99 — the lowest they’ve been in a long time — while the regular price is $6.99.

A little old lady has been standing in front of the sign, looking at it with her glasses on, then off, then on again, then off again, for several minutes. Finally, she approaches me at the counter.

Old Lady: “Excuse me, how much are your whole chickens?”

Me: “They’re $4.99, ma’am.”

Old Lady: “The sign over there says they’re $4.99.”

Me: “That’s right.”

Old Lady: “They said they’re $4.99 on the radio.”

Me: “Yes.”

Old Lady: “So how much are they?”

I am starting to lose my patience.

Me: “Four. Ninety. Nine.”

Old Lady: “Well, I just don’t know.”

Me: “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Old Lady: “I just can’t be sure how much they are.”

Me: “Well, if I’m telling you they’re $4.99, the sign is telling you they’re $4.99, and the radio is telling you they’re $4.99, then they’re probably $4.99.”

Old Lady: “Well, you just never know, the liberal media…”

She lets that phrase hang in the air as if I’m supposed to know what she means by that and agree with her.

Me: “Uh, we’re not the media, ma’am. We’re [Store].”

Old Lady: “Well, you just never know. The liberal media. It could be one of the Obama’s sneaky tricks.”

Me: “We’re not the media, ma’am. We’re [Store]. And Obama doesn’t work here.”

Old Lady: “Oh, you’ve heard of the Obama? I don’t rightly know what it is, but that nice news man says it’s trying to ruin everything.”

Me: “…”

Old Lady: “I just hope President Reagan can get rid of it soon. How much are your whole chickens?”

Me: “…$4.99.”

Old Lady: “Well, I just don’t know. The liberal media. I guess I’ll have to find someone else to ask.”

She continues muttering as she walks away.

Old Lady: “How can they be so much? They were $2.99 last week.”