Monday, November 30, 2009

A couple of experiences....

Got back from Utah, where we spent Thanksgiving, and we were able to gather a few more items for storage--dehydrated corn, toilet paper, clothes from the cousins for my children, who are growing, growing, growing. All good things. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

Of the two experiences I referred to in the title, one happened before Thanksgiving, and one happened after:

--Within the last little while, our car has had difficulty starting. Although it was fine once we were actually able to get it to start, it was a worry that almost every time the driver sat down, there would need to be multiple attempts to get it to catch. One day I was unable to get it to start at all, and we were no longer able to deny that professional intervention was needed for whatever the problem was.

My husband was able to get it started, and took it in to be repaired. The car works great now. Thing is, right before Thanksgiving, we got a receipt in the mail from the business that my husband took it to. Not so unusual, I guess, although my husband had already received paperwork when he paid for the repair. The unusual part was found at the bottom of the receipt, where a personal note, handwritten, (which I don't have in front of me, but I think this is close to, if not verbatim) was included:

"Thank you for your business in these hard times."

I had never seen anything like this, but I thought a lot about this. The place where my husband took the car to be repaired is not the "usual" place that someone might think to take it--he took it to a car dealership where they sell cars, but also have an automotive repair shop. What with the economy the way it is, it seems difficult to imagine that people are lining up in droves to buy new vehicles, and perhaps there is even less this year at this time because of certain programs that were in place earlier. Whatever the case, it just reminded me of how hard it is almost everywhere right now. My husband pointed out that when you need a vehicle repair, you don't really have much choice about repair if you need the vehicle--I said yes, but you do have a choice as to where to get the repairs done....

The other experience happened Saturday, when I ran into the local national chainstore to pick up a few things. It was very quiet, something that came up when I went to check out. I said that I expected it to be busier, and the cashier replied that she did too. Then I said that maybe it was just that people were still out of town for the holiday, and she said that that would be a good reason. And then she said something along the lines of, " I hope it's not that no one has money to buy anything."

This stuck with me because it seems like a cashier would have a pretty good idea of how business was going, and if the amount of shopping being done was something to worry about. If you haven't started any food storage, or need to add to your food storage, please do so as you are able. Little by little it all adds up, and chances are that more choices with lower prices are available today than will be tomorrow, since prices just seem to go up and up. Just something to think about (and hopefully do) with the economy the way it is.....

4 comments:

HermitJim said...

Just a sign that times are getting tough all over! People that never noticed it before are starting to notice!

Glad you got the car fixed!

Marie said...

HermitJim--Unfortunately, I think the things that once were affecting only a few are now affecting the many when it comes to the economy--I hope people already have some supplies put away, and that they don't already have to use them. I worry that things won't be available at any price, and that people who could still stock up just think that they will always be able to go to the national chainstore and buy whatever they want. I hope that they can, but as they say, hope for the best, prepare for the worst....
As for the car, you do what you have to do--I'm just grateful and feel blessed that the time I couldn't get it started was when I was home, planning on going on a non-vital errand, instead of stranded out somewhere when I needed to be home...thanks so much for taking the time to comment--I really appreciate it!

Anonymous said...

Wow! That really made an impression on my. It sems that these signs are poppng up more and more. You have given good advice. I hope that more people will follow it.

Marie said...

Anonymous--Thank you for your kind words--hopefully everyone stores stuff they will use whether it's an emergency or not, and then it's win-win. Thanks very much for your comment!