You’ve Met Your Match

(One afternoon near the paint department, a nice, neat, fashionable couple in their thirties approach me.)

Woman: “We’re looking for felt pads.”

Me: “Yes, here they are. You have a variety of shapes. These are cut in circles, and rectangles. This one is a big sheet you can cut to match what you need.”

(I point to the various packages on an end cap.)

Man: “Do you have any other colours?”

Me: “No. They only come in this colour.”

Woman: “You see, we were looking for something darker, to match our furniture.”

Man: “Yes, our furniture is a darker oak, and we wanted the pads to match. Do you have any others?”

Me: “I’m afraid not. Mind you, they are under the furniture and totally out of sight.”

Woman: “We really want it to match.”

Me: “You could colour them if you wanted.”

Man: “No, that wouldn’t be the same. Are you sure you don’t have any darker ones?”

Woman: “We really want them to match the furniture.”

(And so on. After several minutes, I left them to discuss it among themselves.)