I couldn’t resist this headline after I came across this story.

Don is the owner of Meletharb Ice Cream. His ice cream was voted 2010 Best Ice Cream by Yankee Magazine

MELETHARB ICE CREAM, Wakefield
Dozens of flavors, made on the premises in small batches, attract a steady stream of ice-cream lovers, in weather both fair and foul. The shop’s creativity is best displayed in the honey-accented flavor with chunks of baked baklava blended in. Delicious! 393 Lowell St. 781-245-4946; meletharb.com

$16 Park All Day

As I sort of expected plan A was a no go, all spaces were taken. Enter plan B. I parked at Prudential Center Parking and got to the workshop on time. I figured even if they charge me for a half day $8 will be OK. Three hours later, workshop is over, I hand the cashier my ticket, in the card reader it goes and he turns to me smiling and says, $35.00 please. I immediately had an out-of-body WTF moment of shock like when you realize you’ve just been sucker-punched, hard. Regaining my voice I asked what about the sign out front, $16 all day? You need a stamp, he said, again with the smile. At that point I knew that I was trapped. I surrendered my $35.00 got my receipt and grumbled all the way home. So, as a result a lesson was learned. I will not park at Prudential Center Parking again.

The counter person was perfectly willing to commence the transaction until she heard “and I don’t want to pay for this”. She said just a moment and exits into a rear office. Next up, the store manager. She asks some background questions about the purchase. I show her the defects. Then she starts with the “I cant’s” and a string of denials of responsibility. This takes us about three minutes and she appears to have really dug in. Just at that time out of the corner of my eye I see some customers waiting for the clerk. An idea forms and I quickly pick up my pants holding them so the manager and customers can see the open seam and I say to the manager “You can’t tell me this is not a defect.” There was an instant whoosh like when you win a hard fought tennis match. The store manager responded quietly “I’ll take it to the tailor and see what I can do.”

Five minutes later she returns with pants repaired and a stone face. I complemented her judgement and said she had made a return customer. The stone face remained. I left the store pleased.

Update: Oops! Just noticed the date of the most recent post on MoreStuff4Less is December 2008. OK, well, there’s nothing more constant than change.