Soapbox Friday

Afternoon Neighbors,

Politics will be set aside today for me to climb up on my soapbox and vent. I'm having a yard sale on Saturday and last week I carefully worded my ad to go into the newspaper. Just enough information to possibly hook a few customers, I thought. I opened the newspaper this morning to make sure my ad was in the paper and low and behold it was at the top of the list. I was so proud, then I began reading the ad, not that I didn't know what it said, I just always double check everything. I'm a stickler for details, I guess you could classify me as OCD(obsessive, compulsive disorder) in that regard.

Here's what it said:  (My address), Saturday, power washer, chains, like new fringe. I couldn't even laugh at the stupidity of it, so I picked up the phone and dialed the number to the newspaper. Here's my version of the phone call. By the way, have you figured out the mistakes yet?   chainsaw   not chains and  fridge not fringe.

"(Name of the newspaper), this is(Her name)."
"Hello, this is(my name). I brought an ad in last week for a yard sale/garage sale and there are typos in the ad."
"What was your name?"
"(My name)"
"How do you spell it?"

I knew this was going south rather quickly. I spelled my last name 3 times with D words for the D because she kept repeating a V. Finally got through the name part, then she ask for my phone number. That went smoothly. Continuing the conversation:

"Will you hold? I'm new here."
"Yes."

There was a short hold and she returned.

"You can come in and get your money back."

"I don't want my money, would it be possible to place the corrected ad in tomorrow's paper?"

I heard her asking some nameless, unidentified person and then here's the comeback.

"No,  it's already been in the back for two days ready to print. Spellchecker is the reason the ad is wrong."

This flabberghasted me and I tried to remain calm as I replied to this tidbit of information.

"I have spell checker on my computer too, but I don't take every suggestion it makes. Do you people not proof read? Do you just click change all?"

I don't remember the reply, by this point I was looking for something positive to come out of this situation.
I did ask her if they could tell whoever is typing the ads to proof read after spell checker. She assured me she would take care of it.  Yeah Right!

I did find one thing to be grateful about. They got the address correct, so they can at least find my yard sale.
I'm sure they're going to be disappointed that I don't have any fringe or chains for sale.

I did get one phone call from a relative asking what color my fringe was and I calmly replied, "White."

I did put a sign on my porch that says the local newspaper can't spell. That made me feel somewhat better. Oh well, wish me luck on my sale and  selling my like new fringe.

Till later,
Okie Girl @ Home