Forget the facts,
just give me the basics,"
he says.
That’s young people I thought,
no use for the details.
How indeed do I explain
without facts,
that what they sold me
is a piece of crap.
But it’s his rules so I try.
“It’s broken, doesn’t work,
I explain, using my polite voice.
Now that’s a fact but I’m not being picky
I just want my money back.
Blank stare, so I elaborate.
"makes a grinding sound whenever
I turn it on, then it shuts off."
"Did you try switching it on and off?",
he asks without looking me
in the eyes.
"Well yes, it was off I turned it on..
then it made the grinding sound
and shut off."
He looks annoyed
so I stop giving him the facts.
"Too much information" he mutters.
Then he says,
"take it to counter ten."
I proceed to counter ten,
where the line-up is a dozen or more.
When I get to the front
they hand me
a form with ten questions
and a note at the bottom
that says...
please write out a detailed description
of why you are returning this item.
I look back with longing
at the young man on the first counter
he was right,
everyone wants too many details.
It is the way it is.
