Rain Rain Go away!

"Unbelievable!" I yell to my roommate Spades.

Its Sunday morning, and we were supposed to toss the football. Instead we're stuck indoors, watching the rain come down. Its late February, and we're in So Cal, and its raining on a Sunday.

What's so unbelievable about that? Well, it rained yesterday too!!

In So Cal, it rains an average of 2 days per year* (*Unsubstantiated claim, based on no statistics other than my own conjecture!). And its rained two consecutive days already. Its been a rainy winter, I suppose you could say.

Well, its time to run some errands. I head down to the local plaza, and the smile on my face returns. Weekend grocery shopping is not without its benefits. You see, weekends are when most of the college girls around here choose to do their laundry. Usually they try to minimize their number of loads, so all their clothes go in to the washer at once. Which is why, for a few hours every weekend, the ladies around here roam around in bare minimums* (another unsubstantiated claim, based on no statistics other than my hormonal ones)

I walk into the drugstore. I need some toothpaste and razor blades. I grab me my minty-fresh toothpaste, and I'm off to the grooming section. I scan the blades, looking for my Schick Extreme III 'SubZero'. I've tried a lot of razors, for some reason I've enjoyed these blades, with the cooling feeling of 'SubZero' being quite nice. I also see a yellow tag right below the Schicks.

"On Sale 11.99 Regular 14.99. Guaranteed Item". Right above the guaranteed item, I see an empty shelf.

"That's bizarre!", I say to myself, and flag the nearest associate.

"Hi, I'm looking for these Schick blades. Its a guaranteed item, but I don't see any of them available".

"Hmm", says the associate, "let me check the back".

I always wonder what they have in the 'back' of all these stores, and who gets access to the stuff in the 'back'. I bet Tony Soprano gets access to the 'back'. Then again, if Tony Soprano wants in the 'back', Tony Soprano gets in the 'back'.

As I am musing the charitable operations of the underworld, the associate returns with the manager, who with an ingratiating smile, approaches me.

"Sir, I believe you're looking for some blades"

"Yes, Sir"

"Yes... Yes.......You see, because of the recent rain, some of our deliveries are running late, and the shipment of the blades just hasn't arrived yet. Yes... Yes.....This is a guaranteed item, but we just don't have it in stock right now".

Sort of defeats the purpose of a guaranteed item, but then I'm just TheCanuckEngineer.

"well, I don't want to lose the sale price, I guess I'll just take a raincheck, in that case".

The manager comes closer, and his smile becomes even larger.

"Yes... Yes.....Well, you see, while this item is on sale, we've technically not run out of them, we just never received them. Yes... .Yes... and because we didn't receive them due to the torrential rains, I am unable to issue you a raincheck. Yes....Yes....You see, RainChecks do not apply to acts of nature, such as weather".

"sir, its a R-A-I-N-C-H-E-C-K! the term was originated with rain in mind!" I'm perplexed, since the manager seems to be agreeing with everything I say.. twice!

"Yes.... Yes.... I know, it does seem ironic doesn't it Sir, but the policy here at Short's Drugs is clear that rainchecks do not apply to deliveries that may be affected by acts of god, including weather. I hope you understand Sir."

"No, I do not understand", I mumble, as I walk away, more bemused than surprised or shocked. No I do not understand.. but then again, I'm just the CanuckEngineer.