I agree, Bob, that's the way it's supposed to work, and the way it
USUALLY does work. You either get best price, or best service. But
sometimes you get neither one. Nothing sets me off quicker than a high
priced store with poor service. I like going to the small shop and
getting personal service. I like knowing that the owner knows me, and if
I have a problem, he will help because he knows how much I spend in his
store. But one time I went into a family operation that was packed
because the weather had just gotten nice, and people were in long lines
"waiting" patiently to be "waited on". The phone started ringing, and I
guess that was the straw that broke the camel's back. The owner came
unglued, threw his hands in the air, and shouted, yes shouted: "Where
were all you people last month when I was starving?!!" We all looked at
him and each other, waiting for him to start laughing or something, and
we realized he was serious! My brother-in-law and I turned around and
walked out. I looked back and saw a few others leaving also. That was
about 12 years ago, and I have never been back. As there is nothing else
down that road to draw me, I couldn't even tell you if he is still in
business.