The Wheelbarrow

This is a long post…be patient.

Ok…I have a relatively big yard and I don’t own a wheelbarrow so I decided to buy one this past Saturday. Not only will it serve the obvious purpose, I also plan to fill it with ice and beverages for an upcoming graduation party for youngest daughter. I own a Mini Cooper…but it’s the larger barn-door back model, quite cute, cream with a black sun-roofed top. It didn’t occur to me that the wheel barrow would not fit into the Mini to transport… a detail – until I tried to get it into the car. Did I mention I am spatially challenged?

Now, I love Home Depot. I own the house that Home Depot built. Not really, but I get a lot of stuff there, including my new kitchen. The Garden Center however, just dropped a few pegs in my Home Depot blissful estimation. Here’s the exchange following the purchase of a very nice, orange steel wheelbarrow:


Me: “Hi, I just bought a wheelbarrow and I need to take the wheel off to get it into my car. Do you have a wrench I could borrow? ” (Note I did not ask for anyone to perform any labor other than to hand me a tool.)

Cashier Guy: “Do you mean a screwdriver?” (Now feeling confident that tools could be produced…that was over-ambitious of me.)

A slightly annoyed Me (because even though I am a girl, I do know what tool to use most of the time): “No, I need to loosen a nut and bolt so I need a wrench” (He probably thought he was talking to the only nut in the general vicinity.)

I'm too busy Cashier Guy: “No, we don’t have any tools (really?!), you would need to go to the Customer Service desk.” (Note that it was 8:25 in the morning and Home Depot was relatively empty and there were two cashiers on duty).

A more annoyed Me: “Well, I have a wheel barrow hanging out of my car…it will take me two minutes if you have a wrench.”

Not-my-problem Cashier Guy: “Shrugs.” Is there an emoticon for a shrug? Maybe… o{

A fairly pissed off Me: “Okay then, I will deal with this myself.” Still no attempt to assist…oh that’s right…I was in the “Garden Center” not “Customer Service.” Silly girl.

So I collect the half in/half out wheel barrow from my car (it’s a nice wheel barrow and I did want it to roll away) and mosey into the Customer Service desk.

Home Depot will now reclaim the pegs they dropped.

The very nice Customer Service guy sent the Wheelbarrow rolling to “Tool Rental” who would remove the wheel. Once the operation was complete, Customer Service informed me that I could drive to the “Contractor Entrance” to collect my orange albatross. Remember I said it was 8:25 in the morning? I just returned from a run before hopping into the car for a QUICK trip to Home Depot, so I did not look my most glamorous and was mortified that I had to interact with yet another Home Depot department.

I put lip gloss on hoping it would help.

The wheel was removed and the nice lady at the Tool Rental desk asked me if I needed “help” and for some BIZARRE reason I said “No, thank you” and proceeded to CARRY (yes, I said CARRY) the wheel-less wheelbarrow to my car. I deserved that for being so stubborn (and stupid).

Now for the really exciting part.

Another customer, a very nice gentleman, who witnessed my snooty tool-rental-lady episode took pity on me (or was it control of me) and asked if he could help.

Maybe it was the lip gloss.

Despite my “No, thank you, I’ll be fine” declaration and protestation of help, he said, (and I quote) “be quiet, I will help you.” I did what I was told and shut up. He put the wheelbarrow in my car (it still didn’t quite fit), tied the barn-style doors together with twine (they have a twine kiosk at Home Depot) and said, “that ain’t going no where…just drive slow.” I broke my vow of silence and said “thank you very much, that was very kind of you.” I wonder if he’s single…even if his grammar isn’t perfect. The lesson dear readers…sometimes even fiercely independent, self-sufficient and less-than-perfect girls need to graciously accept help when offered.


Anyway, the wheelbarrow is now home with its wheel attached and ready for dual service. I’m glad I didn’t make an empty I-won’t-shop-here-anymore promise that I know I won’t keep. Besides, maybe I'll see the wheelbarrow knight again.