Shelved Your Original Plans

(I am building a new shelving unit, I will have to do the routing, plugging, and sanding myself but I can live with it. I get my wood and am going to get it cut when I find there is a customer who has got to the cutting guy before me. I grumble a bit because this guy has a TON of things to get cut. I take my time and wander the store to find all the other things I need. I go back and am still waiting for him to finish. Finally he’s ready for me when an older lady comes up and speaks to the clerk.)

Lady: “Excuse me, but I need to build a couple shelves. Are you able to cut the MDF?” *medium-density fibreboard*

Clerk: “Well, sure. You’ll probably need a couple brackets for it, though.”

Lady: “Yes, yes, that’s fine.” *to me* “Would you mind? It’s just one cut.”

(I read all these stories and I know about the many “this will only take a moment” stories. I groan internally at another delay but…)

Me: “Sure, go ahead. Help her first if she only needs one thing cut.”

(I follow her and the clerk out of idle curiosity to see what she’s getting. The MDF is in the same dimensions as my pine, but is perfectly smooth with a rounded front edge. If I use that I won’t even have to do the routing, plugging and sanding. And better yet, it’s only 60% the cost of my pine.)

Me: “Ma’am, I am SO glad I let you go first or I wouldn’t have known about this.”

(Sometimes being nice pays off. I’m now looking at my nice new shelving!)