futon, futon, who's got the futon?

So, not long ago I find myself in Kmart looking for an entertainment center. I don't find one there (the one I wanted turns out to be at Walmat), but I do notice a nice futon. On Sunday, I decided I want to go ahead and get said futon, so I head back to that Kmart. The floor model is there, but according to the random employee we ask, who dutifully checks in the back, they are out of them. My friend Jeff suggests a trip to another kmart he knows about, but we call first.

After talking to 4 differnt people, we determine that yes, they do have them in stock. Yea! So, we head on over to this Kmart, find an employee, who tells us he'll check in the back. A manager comes around and also offers to check in the back. Back and forth a few times they both proceed, until about 20 mintues later it's determined that they are sold out. I'm starting to get a little bit pissed at this point, but the manager offers to call over to yet a third store to check. This phone call takes him at least 10 minutes - but he comes back and says they do have them in stock and that the manager will hold one for me. I should ask for Jim.

So, now we go to the third Kmart of the day and track down another employee who again offers to check in the back. They find Jim, Jim finds us, and he comes out with the futon - all boxed up - on a big-ass cart. I pay for the futon in Electronics (for some reason) and we take it out, load it up and head home.

Jeff manages to rip his finger open on the staples holding the box together (not a good omen) and then I start to unpack it and discover a part is missing. Not a nut or bolt, mind you - but the whole right hand side. You know, the arm-rest/legs to the whole deal. Ironically, this should have been part "A" - the first item in the instructions. So, now we're totally stopped. And the company - VictoryLand Group (which sounds like a televangelest program) only has office hours Monday - Friday during the day. I have to call them and use my firm and slightly angry voice.

Despite all the snafus of the day, the only people really at fault are:

1. The twit at the second Kmart that told us they were in stock
2. The person that packaged up my futon
3. The person who was supposed to check that everything that got in the box.

Best case scenario - I talk to a friendly CSR at VictoryLand who apoligizes and promises to ship out the replacement part at no cost to my via overnight deliverly.

Worst case, I package this back up and take it back to Kmart for a full refund - and they find myself a Sauder catalog.

I'll make the phone today, once I'm good and awake and a little fired up from some tedious work. Wish me luck...

Back to work...