I Hate Harold

I as going to post this ages ago but frankly I needed to cool off a bit first. I was vexed. Very vexed. Very Very vexed. Here is why.

A little while ago, I took the F360 to a well known car accessory store which we will call Harold’s. Harold’s has a branch located in an out of town retail estate in Chelmsford which is near where I live.

So I rocked up to Harold’s in the F360 and went up to the childseat counter. Got ignored for about 10 minutes and then an assistant did the usual reluctant ‘ do I really have to help you ‘ greeting and ‘buzzed’ for a ‘specialist’ to help me…

I told the very spotty very bored, very indifferent young specialist that I wanted to buy a booster seat for my 5 year old and that I wanted him to bring the booster out to my car to make sure that the thing fitted the Ferrari’s rather perfectly formed Daytona seats.

This is where Harold’s messed up big style. The conversation went like this.

Harold’s specialist: “what sort of car is it”?

Me: “it’s that grey Ferrari”

HS: “is it going in the front or the back” (we were pretty much next to the at this stage)

Me: “We’ll it’ll probably have to go in the front as these Ferrari’s don’t have back seats”

HS: “You shouldn’t have a child in the front and you have to get the air bags deactivated first. It’s illegal to have the airbags ‘on’ and a child in the front seat”

Me: “No, it’s not”

HS: “Yes, it is”

Me: “No, I really think it isn’t, I think it’s just advisory and besides the latest research says that older children are better off with the airbag operational provided they sit far enough back”

HS: “I’m the child seat specialist and I can tell you it’s illegal and I won’t sell you a child seat unless the airbag is turned off”

Me: “OK then, the airbags are deactivated”

I opened the car up  - HS looks visibly offended  - like I’d popped a poo in his lunch box. I placed the booster on the passenger seat and said to the ‘Specialist’ : “It doesn’t fit especially well does it? – I mean it’s OK but can I see if there is anything narrower because Ferraris always have narrow seats.”

HS: “They’re all pretty much the same size (not)”

Me: “Really? I’m not really super happy with the fit”

HS: “Well you shouldn’t have a Ferrari then should you”

I was a little taken a back this to say the least. The spotty grumpy little youth then grabbed the booster and took it to the desk while I locked the car and followed him in.  At the stage I would normally have told the nasty little spotter to stick the child seat up his arse, or even to place my heal on the back of his neck (with his face in the tarmac) and make him beg for forgiveness but I was in a hurry and had to pick my son up from school, hence the uncharacteristic acquiescence.

By the time I got to the cash desk I had composed myself and was able to relay the conversation to the more mature and sympathetic person at the desk. I suggested that the acne afflicted MCP, that didn’t help me fit the booster to my Ferrari, might do better in an alternative area of employment. Perhaps stacking shelves or flipping burgers or anything where he doesn’t have to speak to people.

It’s a shame really because I used to by lots of car care bits at Harold’s but no more. I’ve got a little list….and they are on it.