BINGO

Shoe guy has a name! And it's.... Aaron!

And yes, that is a picture of the receipt I earned by allowing him to help me...

True story:

I am going to the beach with the fam next week. I was in desperate need for a new bathing suit so Tiff and I decided to go shopping. My mom and grandmother wanted to go also so we made it a girls trip.

We began the day by eating lunch at Parkside grill, chatting and having a good time. I don't usually talk to my mom about guys and/or relationships. Not that I can't but she just gets too worked up and into it for her own good. Apparently I "only talk to guys long enough to stop liking them." Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that is what you did. Get to know someone, see if you are compatible, and if not stop wasting their time.

Well I guess I was feeling particularly open and in a sharing mood, so I enthralled my mother and grandmother in the belk shoe guy saga. I thought... "no harm done." Tiff and I already decided that he probably wasn't working that day anyways.

Now, my grandmother isn't much of a shopper these days. She likes to look around in Belk and sits in the shoes until we are finished. This has been a long standing tradition, pre-dating shoe guy and his story.

We arrive.

I go directly into the swim suit section to do what no woman in her right mind enjoys doing: trying on bathing suits. As I turn around Tiffany makes a miraculous Houdini appearance with a Cheshire cat sized grin on her face. Ding ding ding... I know what that means... He's working.

I find a bathing suit... Black... big surprise. I am super satisfied with my cover-up that I bought that honestly is ridiculously overpriced, but oh-so-adorable.

I would also like to say that I am now a proud owner of a Belk card... used purely to build credit etc... yada, yada, yada....

As the lady is setting up my account she tells me that throughout the ENTIRE day I will be able to save 15% on ANY and all ITEMS in the store. NO EXCLUSIONS! (Trust me that this is a vital part of the story and I am not simply rambling)

After charging my swim suit (yeah... I said it!) Tiff and I made a mad dash for the MAC counter. I purchased us both a tube of lipstick (Happy Birthday Tiff... I know, I'm a big spender!) and got my 15% off!

Then it was time to meet up with my mom and grandmother...

I spot Granny in the shoes, with Aaron (I suppose I can call him by his name now) less than 10 feet away. No way am I going over there now. So I start on the opposite side of the department looking for a pair of black sandals. (Truthfully, I am in dire need of some black sandals, and if anyone sees a cute pair PLEASE tell me!)

I finally make it over to granny and Tiff gushes that it was in fact him standing in front of granny right before. So my granny says (and I SWEAR...) "That was him? He has really big feet! I just kept staring at his feet!"

Oh god... (now don't tell me you haven't heard the saying about the size of a man's foot...) Tiff looked at me and said (as if I am not red enough in the face) "That could be really good, Bethany!"

Naturally, Tiff and I bust out laughing like fools. Apparently my grandmother has also head this fable and starts laughing too. About that time my mother comes up. All the while I am truthfully looking at a pair of shoes.

After relentless prompting, I decide to try them on. Who should walk by??? Aaron.

Aaron: "Can I help you?"
Me: "Umm.. yeah, can I try this on in a 9? (this is humiliating, given that a size 9 shoe is pretty large relative to my stature.)

Aaron: "Sure. Is anyone helping you?" (So I have no idea why he would say this unless he thinks I just asked him to be asking him... I mean I would have gladly avoided conversation to save myself from looking like a fool and asked someone else if he didn't approach me)

Me: "No..."

He disappears.

With my "entourage" of family sitting 3 feet behind me, I hear wispers, laughter, and giggles. So I turn around, only to be told to turn back around and pretend they aren't there... Right... That is just so easy to do...

He returns with the shoes, hands me the box and says

Aaron: "We only had an 8 1/2.

Great, now I am trying on a pair of shoes that I HATE anyways (they are hideous, I thought they were cute at first but once they are on... Eww...) in a half a size too small, and I am just going to have to buy them so he doesn't think that I was just tring to get him to talk to me!

I know... I have a very warped way of thinking.

So, I know I am buying these regardless, but as I am looking at them in the mirror, he walks up

Aaron: "Is everything ok?"

Uh-oh... here it is... Jackson moment #2. I said yes in that strange voice I have no control over and my face flooded with blood immediately.

I stall a few more minutes before I go to make my purchase. I walk towards the register and who else comes to help, but Aaron.

Aaron: "Are you ready?" (Ready for what? :) just kidding!)

Me: "Yeah"

He rings me up and in my head a million things are going on. I will give you a list:

1. I can't use my temporary Belk card because I don't want him to know that I just signed up for a credit card today.
2. Don't say anything stupid, clearly articulate your words.
3. I really want to use my Belk card so I can get 15% off
4. Don't blush.
5. Screw it, I'm taking these shoes back to another Belk store anyways.
6. Don't look embarrassed.
7. As I open my wallet, I realize where my driver's license should be is a picture of my ADORABLE step-niece, Ella.
8. OH SHIT... If he sees Ella, he'll think I have a kid.
9. Wow... I really like him in a coral shirt.
10. Look for a name tag.
11. No name tag... dang.
12. It's almost over, then you can get embarrassed.

So, finally it is almost over. He puts the shoes in a bag, grabs the receipt sticks it in the side of the bag and walks around the counter. He looks at the bag making sure I can see the receipt and points directly to it and says "I put your receipt in the bag."

As he does this I grow a small pair of you know what and look directly up trying to look more than just a glance into his eyes. As I do... HE HAS A JACKSON MOMENT!

As he is trying to say "have a nice day," it comes out in a HUGE jumble. It kind of sounds like "Havkjij kdie ay"

In a state of shock and confusion I so brilliantly show the range of my vocabulary and comeback with... "Huh?"

He looked at the ground laughing slightly and said "Sorry, have a nice day."

Then I was off...

Any thoughts??? What should I do now...? Something or nothing?

(My full price receipt on a pair of ugly shoes I could have gotten 15% off.)


(The infamous shoes)