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THAT blew my mind..........

Goose

Goose

Well-known Member
Picked up a half dozen 8' 2X4's at Menards this morning. Only needed three, but you can never have too many 8' 2X4's.

Anyway, went to check out and the kid on the register asked me what dimension they were. I told him 8 foot.

He asked, "What's the other dimension?"

I was stumped for a moment, then said "2X4".

He said OK, looked them up on his computer, and rang them up.

I couldn't believe there was someone on checkout at Menard's who didn't recognize a 2X4 when he saw one.
 

Yep you should have said 96" X 4" X 2" YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN LATE FOR SUPPER......
 
Are you sure he rang them up at the corect price? There are several different grades and each is priced differently, Treated or untreated? Utility or premium grade? All have a marking tag on them to scan for price. I dought if he even got the correct price. Did he charge you for premimum and you get utility grade? I would have been going for the manager before he got done ringing them up.Years ago grocery has chocklet milk advertised at certain price per quart. Cartons are marked ozs. Checkout was arguing that the quart was the 16 oz carton and that is what she made everybody take. Wife stayed with her while I went for manager. By time I got back girl had either given in or we left the milk, I forget One quart would have made a good drink for both my wife and me while we were in town.She was never seen at a register again.
 
He looked for the bar code tag on the ends. It was on the side and for some reason he couldn't find it. (He did charge the correct price, per the tag on the stack).
 
Lucky for you that you weren't at a Canadian store. Metric minds but the 2X4 is still 1.5 inch X 3.5 inch by eight feet. I guess the two by four by eight doesn't register as a size, just a description.
 
There's a tag stapled on the end, I just stick one in front of them and say times 8. Actually some of the kids in the local Menards are very helpful, know where stuff is and what to use it for, I won't complain about them.
 
The one near me they have to scan each 2x4 individually. People would tell them they had 8 and they would have 10 in the cart. Plumbing is worse. People screw fittings together and try to get out with paying for everything.
 
I try to place the barcode labels where they are easy to scan at checkout. I've had cashiers ask me what something was, sometimes after my purchase was rung up. I always answer correctly. If a young person is working hard and trying to learn more, good for him or her.
 
I read through these comments. I have run into this also. It used to upset me, but now I realize that at least these young people have the energy and values to get a job and are learning. In one case I tried to coach the young man about an issue but he did not want to be coached. That was a little upsetting.

My mother is in an Assisted Living facility. I have come across young high school girls working there after school and weekends, and Christmas Day. I congratulated them for getting their job at their young age and talked to/encouraged them about their longer term goals. Paul
 
It's Gonna get worse too California just pasted a law the High school students get a diploma even if they had failing grades...sorta like a "Participation Trophy"
 
Ive gotten in the habit of taking picture of shelf tag. had a few times where computer was not same price as shelf tag....
 
23 yr old girl that had been driving semi trucks for 6 months. She got to a 6 ton bridge and tried to cross it. Eventidently, she knew that her truck was 60K, but she did not know how many pounds were in a ton. It collaplsed.
 
(quoted from post at 01:23:32 12/31/15) I read through these comments. I have run into this also. It used to upset me, but now I realize that at least these young people have the energy and values to get a job and are learning. In one case I tried to coach the young man about an issue but he did not want to be coached. That was a little upsetting.

My mother is in an Assisted Living facility. I have come across young high school girls working there after school and weekends, and Christmas Day. I congratulated them for getting their job at their young age and talked to/encouraged them about their longer term goals. Paul
Click to expand...

I'm with you. I try to help the young people out when they ask a question like that. It never hurts to give them a little instruction. Not everyone is born knowing everything. Although I've met a few people who thought they did.
 
Yep, Menards, Home Depot and Lowes have all kinds...!
I work with a fellow that's been a carpenter 20 some years. He was bringing me a prehung door and I asked him to bring me 2 1/2" X 8' drywall. He had to ask me if that was 4 x 8 x 1/2" drywall. I reminded him that the variables are thickness and length on drywall. I have thought him slow before, but now I know it for sure!
 
Thank the good Lord above that we were all equipped with perfected skills at a young age! Seriously, after teaching young people for 36 years, here's some thoughts:
Not everybody gets "it" at the same rate or intensity. Those who keep plugging away at "it" will get "it", whatever "it" may be. Sometimes they will pass and exceed the person who got "it" at a younger age. AND... they develop work ethic. As I've written before on this site, I taught over 4000 students. God really doesn't make junk. And remember, there are many different types of smart. They're all connectable, relatable to one another. That kid at the register made a choice to work and better himself.
He could have made different choices. Choices that cost him, you, and all the rest of us. Bully for him. Bully for you if you show him a little kindness and guidance the next thousand times you have to deal with a young person who hasn't quite reached their peak yet.
Dave
 
Oooooh "Chinards". Young people are at a disadvantage now days. Our society has creatated this. I'm pretty sure a majority of the folks on this site had to work starting at a much younger age. Being a business owner it is nearly impossible to find good help. Kids are not expected to "work". They are expected to get good grades. Being book smart has its advantages but having some common sense makes you more valuable. Common sense comes from experience, experience comes from working. We hire 2 or 3 high school students every summer. They always thank us after they finish college. Usually no problem being hired because they held down a job for yrs while getting their education.
 
Although I agree he should have known what it was, we shouldn't be to quick to judge and make fun of him. After all, we just had a poster complaining about a grocery store clerk and spelled chocolate milk as chocklet milk lol. Just saying!
 
I went to a NAPA store to get wheel-bearing for MF-265. I didn't have old one with me. Kid was lost. Asked me what year it was, I told I didn't have an idea and shouldn't make a difference. Went back home, looked in a old NAPA book and found the number. It's NAPA #BR5 (Inner bearing assembly) if anybody wants to know. I went back to the store and asked them,I could find the number and why they couldn't? They just looked at me like a couple of Dummies.
 
I don't fault anyone for not knowing something if they were never taught or worked in a certain field, however someone at a lumberyard should have basic knowledge of lumber.
 
My grandfather was a carpenter, and I remember hearing him talk about 2x4's when I was real young, probably about 4 or 5. He was always figuring out how many he would need for the next job. I wasn't sure what a "toobyfor" was, I just thought any piece of wood that he was working with was a toobyfor. He would ask me to hand him a toobyfor, and I would hand him the nearest piece of wood. He couldn't understand why I didn't know what a toobyfor was. After a while, I decided that a toobyfor was a thick piece of wood, as opposed to the thin wood (1" stock) that he sometimes was working with. I was probably about the second or third grade before it finally dawned on me that toobyfor was not a thing, but the dimensions! 2 by 4! Talk about a revelation!
Maybe the kid at the register thought you were buying toobyfors.
 
> I asked him to bring me 2 1/2" X 8' drywall.

I scratched my head a moment, you wanted 2 and a half inch wide? 2 and 1/2 inch thick?

Oh, 2 pieces......

Paul
 
I tend to be pretty patient with the kids at the checkout and help them find the barcodes or show them the photo of the tag on the shelf if there is no barcode. I have less patience for the older guys working the floor that have no idea what they are doing. At my local Home Depot there's a guy who has asked me many times if he could help me. He's never once been right. The last time he asked if he could help me I replied "I very much doubt it" and kept on walking.
 
that mite be cause they measure only 1and9/16ths X 3and 9/16ths ,, but I doubt it ,, some of these kids go to school stupid and come right back out the same way ,,
 
Whenever I encounter a young employee at a store who doesn't seem to know much I have to remind myself I once was young and inexperienced too. I am still asking for advice on this site so obviously I haven't gained perfection yet. LOL

The only time I was upset at Menards was when one of the men on the floor treated me like I was retarded when I asked him for help finding a 30 amp 220 male plug. I felt like filing a complaint right there on the spot. He was a middle aged cool looking dude with slicked back hair. He must not have lasted long because I never saw him there again.
 
I'm at that point anymore. I look up on that store's website and cross original part # to their sku or internal part number. Then I call and ask if they have such and such # in stock. Then they're down to a simple yes or no answer. It's about the only way I can make sure I get the right thing.
 
I was a bit surprised when the young lady in the tool department at Sears did not know what a "claw hammer" was.
 
(quoted from post at 14:59:59 12/30/15) Picked up a half dozen 8' 2X4's at Menards this morning. Only needed three, but you can never have too many 8' 2X4's.

Anyway, went to check out and the kid on the register asked me what dimension they were. I told him 8 foot.

He asked, "What's the other dimension?"

I was stumped for a moment, then said "2X4".

He said OK, looked them up on his computer, and rang them up.

I couldn't believe there was someone on checkout at Menard's who didn't recognize a 2X4 when he saw one.
Click to expand...

I thought you guys used the metric system. You should have told him 38x89 and watche his ears smoke.
 
(quoted from post at 04:34:36 12/31/15) that mite be cause they measure only 1and9/16ths X 3and 9/16ths ,, but I doubt it ,, some of these kids go to school stupid and come right back out the same way ,,
Click to expand...

I went to school for about as long as anyone else here. I don't remember 2x4's or any other kind of lumber being covered in the schools curriculum.
 
Sorry, however at first glance I took your post as two and one half inches of eight foot drywall. Thinking you meant him to cut
a two and one half strip eight foot long. If you didn't separate the word two by a pause I could understand his confusion.Not to
criticize you , I do the same at times.
 
(quoted from post at 19:20:21 12/30/15) I went to a NAPA store to get wheel-bearing for MF-265. I didn't have old one with me. Kid was lost. Asked me what year it was, I told I didn't have an idea and shouldn't make a difference. Went back home, looked in a old NAPA book and found the number. It's NAPA #BR5 (Inner bearing assembly) if anybody wants to know. I went back to the store and asked them,I could find the number and why they couldn't? They just looked at me like a couple of Dummies.
Click to expand...

I have always thought of "I have no idea" as a teenager cop out, but I have to admit that it has probably grown older as people have grown older. How can a YT guy have no idea of his tractor's age?
 
You are correct. I taught for a few years as failing health forced me to quit the career I loved. Teaching what I refereed to as
the black arts, welding, agriculture, diesel,and auto.Some of the things stressed were size of concrete blocks, bricks,bolts (as
one half inch bolt does not take a one half inch wrench) oil viscosity for related used. You can get the idea. Covering things as
length of measurement of land, acres in a section , fencing of one rod standard spacing for fence post , etc. As most will notice
English was not a subject covered.
 
(quoted from post at 17:19:07 12/30/15) Good thing he didn't measure them, you would never explained that.
Click to expand...

I probably would have told them 3 1/2"X1 1/2" and held up the line while they looked a while and called for a manager.

I avoid Menards like the plague. Never been to a store that hires so many dunces.
 
Guess you did not have wood shop cause it sure as heck was along with how to figure the board feet!!!!!
 
He was smart enough to ask when he didn't know. Should he have just guessed...even if wrong? I'm betting this post would then instead be about the idiot at Menards who overcharged you for eight 2 x 4's.
 
Yes, they call it stretch board. I did not want to confuse him, as He would have to go to a wholesaler for that...! Lowes, Home Depot and Menards=no stretch board!
 
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