Is this lame? I was at Kohl's the other day trying to hunt down some of the newer trasnformers and I came across Hubcap. I decided it was worth the buy (even at Kohl's high prices) and took it up to the counter/register to pay for it. I waited for a minute or two in line but eventually got up the front. But when I got there, something interesting happened. The cute countergirl smiled at me while ringing me up and asked me, "who's the lucky kid?" It took me a half-a-second to realize what she meant. Now, I am 18 years old, and maybe looked a little older to her (she was probably in her early 20's) I quickly concluded that she assumed I wasn't buying it for myself and panicked for another half-second before replying with a meek "my cousin..." (I don't even have a cousin btw, nor any brothers or sister for that matter) We exchanged a few more bits of small talk before I payed for everything and when on my merry way. However, this whole situation got me to thinking about things. I guess I was a little embarrassed to admit to a complete stranger about my inner manchild. Its not like I'm ashamed really, that I still collect transformers. In fact, almost all of the people around me know since I will frequently talk about it. I guess its just the idea of some cute girl that's a stranger to me that already assumes that I'm not part-dork asking about this stuff prevented me from simply saying. "well, there isn't one. It's for me" Anyone else run into this kind of situation somewhere?
I have but I just don't care what the cashiers think, cute or not. If they ask me who the toys are for I just tell them the truth. Some don't seem to care, some think it's awesome, some are bitches. Doesn't make much a difference to me. They're not in my monkeysphere.
I've had this situation happen to me too before. I mostly just tell the truth, but sometimes I say what you said.
I never lie. I tell them it's mine. I don't care what anyone thinks of my hobby. its nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe if I was still playing with them like I was when I was a kid, then, okay, then I'd be ashamed. Sometimes I just say what they're thinking, and tell them "I'm too goddamn old for toys!" and then buy it anyways.
It all depends how hot the chick is . Usually now I just roll with the line, "Im a big dork" and it actually comes of pretty well. I still do have a bit of a problem admitting it to a smokin hot girl, especially if it is at a place that isn't a normal place to buy toys. I have blamed a lot of stuff on my cousin as well, though with Joe exclusives that was his fault at times. Was looking for the Target exclusive Joe set, and the cute manager insisted on checking the back (when the item couldn't be located in a spot), and calling other stores etc for a half hour. Now I was getting that for my cousin (age 32), but I blamed it on his kids, cause I didn't feel right having her go through that hassle for an adult collector, even though for some reason, she insisted on doing it.
Lol, I hope you didn't answer with "its for my little cousin" Thats part of it too I guess. If I'm at toysrus or something, I usually dont give a crap. Something about Kohl's wreaks of "don't admit it!"
It's none of their business, so tell them what you want. I don't usually have a problem with whether they think or know it's mine, but sometimes I just lie recreationally for the frack of it. They don't know you, you don't know them, they don't know if you're lying, you'll probably never see them again, and the answer doesn't even matter, since it's just customer-server small-talk to kill the time until you walk away and they go on to their next customer and forget about you entirely. That's not a relationship that lives or dies based on open, honest communication. BTW, that doesn't just apply to Transformers. I use different names at Starbucks all the time. It amuses me and I find it helps me be an honest person when it actually matters. >AM<
Maybe I would have done the same thing when I was 18. As it is I'm going on for 32 now and don't give a shit what anyone thinks. I actually get a fair amount of comments from cashiers when I take my TFs to the counter but I just keep a dead pan expression, shrug, and say "haven't got any kids, they're for me" and carry on packing them up. Normally it's middle aged women serving me who appear simply horrified that the world has now come to this, with grown men buying toys! Meant for children!
You know I've never been asked that, but that's probably cause I bring my little brother so they must guess it's for him. Now that I've think of it I've never had a cashier that was a hot girl when I bought Transformers. weird. Glad to see that there are other transfans my age!
I dont really care if people know i collect Transformers,i think most people who are shocked probably think you play with them doing voices and banging them together screaming PEW PEW DIE NOW.Myself i collect them because i love the incredible engineering that is in each figure,also i am really in to cars and some of the alt modes are Incredible,And of course GIANT ROBOTS WITH GUNS factors in aswell.
they are the cashier, not my judge or therapist. and i don't bother with small talk. like i have a pool behind my house and the occasional pizza dude is "like, whoa, i bet you party a lot." i cut the chit-chat short. "I can't swim." (the rest of my family can, so there ya go.) since i have started doing 90% or more of my toy shopping online, i rarely get the toy-inquisition routine anymore. in the end, it's none of their business. and i leave it that way.
No but that doesn't stop some guys being embarrassed about admitting the truth. I wouldn't want a stranger to look down on me for a second even if I never saw them again.
It's only happened to me once or twice--but it doesn't bother me. The one time I was embarrassed was when I had a carry-on suitcase full of TFs at the airport (long story) and when it went through the X-ray, they pulled me aside to search it, lol. The woman who did the searching immediately recognized them as TFs since she said son collects them. A couple security dudes also seemed to genuinely find them cool--especially the giant SR71 Blackbird (ROTF Leader Jetfire). So overall, it wasn't as bad an experience as I though it was going to be! Actually, I still do this
^ I was at an airport and after they screened my bag the security guy pointed to the transformers (on the x-ray) and opened my bag to make sure they weren't bombs! Totally agree people shouldn't care about what others think.
I check out toys at work and I just tell the cashier it's for me a few ask me stuff about them. Those same people that do this are probably car guys , or lotion and potion girls, or super cool gamers they all have there toys and don't even realize it in there monkey brains.
This has happened to me haha i get all nervous on the inside and say that its for my cousin or something like that. But nowadays, i really dont care very much...but i still try to go in the line where the cashier is an old lady or a not-very-attractive cashier. Lol even with a girlfriend who supports my hobby, going shopping can lead to a blushing red face hahaha
Stopped caring about 9 years ago when I was carrying about 7 different Beast Machines figures up to the Target register that I was buying for myself for my 18th birthday. I just told my friend who was with me at the time, "I left my shame in Target's toy aisle". Once at Walmart these two pre-teen girls who were behind me in line asked me if I had kids and if I was buying the figures I had in my hand for them. I just said, "No they're for me, I'm just a giant geek." The "giant geek" or "huge dork" line usually works pretty well.
Maybe it's just me, but no one ever really says anything to me as i buy them. But if they did, i'd say they're for me, and move on. Got no problem. Oh, they do say "do you need a gift receipt", to which i reply no... I really don't care. Most people who are happy and secure with their own lives don't really look down on other people for their hobbies. If a stranger is looking down on you, they are most likely trying to make themselves feel better for their own self-observed shortcomings. Seriously, i wouldn't worry about it. Stranger's opinions do not matter...
