I never thought I would be writing the following, especially on Thanksgiving of all days, but thank God for Wal-Mart!
This is not something you would expect me to say considering my anti-Wal-Mart rants on at least two past occasions. But on Thursday morning I unintentionally drove over a foreign object and soon heard a bad metallic sound coming from the back of my car.
I drove toward the closest shopping mall, eyes alert for any business open on this holiday. Along the way I pulled over and confirmed that the problem was what I feared – a nail deeply embedded in the rear passenger-side tire.
It dawned on me that Wal-Mart was the only car-repairing business open on this special day. So much for boycotting Wal-Mart, I grumbled.
As I pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot I rejoiced — instead of doing my usual griping — about people shopping at Wal-Mart and enjoying the low prices that come at the expense of benefits for its store workers, directly, and, indirectly, workers in third world countries.
Part of me was asking the occupants of the 50-75 people in the parking lot: “What are all of you doing here on Thanksgiving? You can’t all have had deflating tires this morning, which is my feeble excuse.” Another part of me, though, was saying, “OK, I am a hypocrite but it’s time to set aside my moral differences with this giant of capitalism and get this tire fixed.”
This latter thought, my practical side, won the debate, which was good because the mechanic later told me the leak was so bad he could hear it from 15 feet away.
I would like to say I limited my spending at the Wal-Mart store to the replacement tire — my tire was beyond fixing, I was told — but that would be a lie. While alternating between two jobs lately I kept running out of time to buy some needed new pants. And here I was stuck at Wal-Mart.
I took that as a sign and picked up some Dockers and that new Beatles album, Love.
So now as I finish this piece I am wearing my new pants, listening to my new album and my truck, the Butkimobile, has a new tire. But my conscience feels dirty.
Forgive me, Wal-Mart opponents, for my transgression.
Consider this piece my attempt at absolution.
Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
I absolve you on behalf of all of the people who don't want to work full time or are looking for first jobs and who find them at WalMart at a competitive wage. They appreciate your support.
Dave
2 - Scott Butki
Whew. Thanks. I feel better, Dave.
Oh and Happy Holidays
3 - A.L. Harper
Needs must.
4 - RedTard
Walmart boycotters tend to be long on compassion and short on logic. I'm not sure why you types can't understand that you can't 'trick' the free market. Any imbalance you create by paying walmart workers more means higher prices for everyone else who shops there. A small part of the population gets a higher wage, a large portion of the population gets lower living standards.
It's such a simple concept a child can understand it. Unfortunately, I can's say the same thing for liberals.
5 - tink
Sometimes you just have to cross a bridge you'd rather not. I respect the view of not supporting a company because of corporate policies. There are some out there that I won't patronize for their politics either.
But as self-appointed devil's advocate here, let me just state that no one is holding a gun to the heads of the employees and making them work there...
6 - Jet in Columbus
Given my current finances, I have no choice but to shop at Wal-mart for groceries. You have to choose between you convictions and necessities, otherwise you'll find yourself stranded at the side of the road with a flat tire.
7 - RedTard
"Given my current finances, I have no choice but to shop at Wal-mart for groceries." - Jet
Where will you shop once your liberal buddies finally force walmart to raise it's costs?
8 - Jet in Columbus
Dumbsters and soup kitches, and thanks for caring and your concern
9 - STM
I loved going to Wal-mart when I was in the States. Great place to shop ... hours of fun, top prices (well, not literally). Good for people watching too - even better than Sainsbury's or Marks and Spencer in Britain, and that's saying something.
And they don't sell handgun ammo any more. Champions! Much of what they stock is quality stuff. I say bring all three to Australia.
Aldi from Germany is already here, competing against the homegrown Woolworth's and Coles and their offshoots.
We should get the Yanks and Poms in and go fully international. We could have the international Shopping Series, in which my wife and youngest daughter would win gold for Australia in multiple events, especially their specialty one - the buy now, pay later 12-hour Gold Card marathon.
10 - Matthew Milam
What you find is that cheap is cheap -- it's just too bad the result of going to Wal-Mart fuels so much more chaos for other businesses.