GO TO THE TOP

A couple of blog entries ago, I referred to my grandmother teaching me to go to the top if those at the bottom won't help you. Well I will tell you the full story now.


Years ago, when I was about 10 years old......let me rephrase that.........many, many years ago when I was 10, I wanted to buy a book of paper dolls. We lived across the street from a Woolworth's store. For those of you who might be too young to know what a Woolworth store was, let me explain.


Woolworth, along with Grants and Neisners, were better known as 5 and 10 cents stores. They carried a little of everything and when they first began, most of the items cost 5 or 10 cents. If you have ever gone to Viddler's in East Aurora, NY., you will see the concept of such stores.


This particular Woolworth store had wooden floors that creaked, had 2 floors with large wooden steps (no such thing as an elevator or escalator), had salespeople to help you in every department, and had a floor walker (a person who just walked around the store to make sure things were ok....kinda like the boss). The salesgirls wore dresses, some with a lace hanky in the top pocket, high heels, and were groomed to the ninth.


Well, I had earned a little money doing some chore or another and had enough money (probably 10 cents) to buy some paper dolls, which I loved. I wanted to add to my collection a bride and groom paper doll set. I had been eyeing the set at Woolworth's for a long time, so once I had some money in my hot little hands, I bolted across the street and through the doors of Woolworths.


Now keep in mind that I was short....even shorter than I am now if you can believe that. My chin came to about to the top of the counters. I found my treasure and went to pay the salesclerk for it. I tried to get her attention on one side of the counter, but she just turned and walked to the other side. I tried this several times and yet she didn't see me and therefore could not take my money.


Discouraged and disappointed, I put the paper dolls back and went back home in tears without them. I explained the situation (between sobs) to my grandmother, who proceeded to grab my hands and walk out the door, across the street, and into Woolworths. As we were crossing the street, she told me in situations like this, I was to go to the lower person on the ladder and if they didn't help, keep climbing the rungs until I reached the top, if need be.


She marched me into Woolworths, back to the paper doll section, took my purchase to the floor walker and explained the situation of how I tried to pay for my purchase, but the salesperson couldn't see me over the counter. The floor walker knelt down beside me and told me that we had done the right thing coming to him. Then he took me by my hand and lead me to the counter where I had tried to pay for the paper dolls.


He then explained the situation to the salesclerk who apologized for not seeing me. As I tried to once again pay for my purchase, the floor walker put the money back into the palm of my hand and closed my hand around it. With a smile and a twinkle in his eye, he said, "This one is one me."


ANSWER TO LAST TRIVIA QUESTION: Jim Anderson on Father's Knows Best called his oldest daughter Betty, "Princess". What did he call his youngest daughter? Kitten
TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTION: In the Everly Brothers song, "Wake up Little Suzie", what time was it when they realized they were in trouble?
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice Doggie!"--until you can find a tree to climb