Dear Hardware Store Employee, I Am Not As Fragile as I Look

As you know from my last post I am in the midst of a few home improvement projects.  Today as I was out running some errands I decided to stop at Lowe's again to look at a few items that I was thinking about getting to help me with my projects - namely a toolbox and a level.  My current toolbox is a half broken plastic box held together by clear packing tape and it only holds about half the items that belong inside.  I decided that it was high time we invest in a proper box.  The level I thought would be handy for the picture hanging but I wasn't sold on buying this yet. 

I would like to pause here and mention that every time that I walk into a hardware store, I get stared at.  This has been happening since I was in college.  I walk into the store and suddenly several male employees appear eager to offer their assistance.  I don't know if it because I like to wear skirts and dresses in the summer or if it's because I look completely lost or like I don't belong but I always have a pretty good idea of what I am looking for and the questions to ask if I don't.  I'm not just aimlessly browsing in the hardware store.  This said... back to the story....

I walked into the store and headed for the hardware section thinking that tool boxes might be with nails and screws since that is what commonly goes inside other than tools themselves.  I didn't see any so I walked to the end of one of the aisles to look at the signs indicating what each aisle contained.  I wanted  to look in the tool section next (probably the most obvious place) and was looking for a sign that indicated where they would be.  Suddenly out of nowhere a guy walks up to me with a Lowe's name tag on.  "Can I help you?"  Startled I turned around and politely asked him where I could find a toolbox.  He told me that they would be in "Tool World" which was at the front of the store to the right of the registers.  This was all of the help I needed and I walked away with renewed purpose expecting him to go away and help someone else. 

Moments later I had found the tool section and was browsing the tool boxes when the sales guy showed up again.  "Oh you found them!" He exclaimed, as if it was really difficult to find them.  Just for the record let me note that the tool section was to the LEFT of the registers not the right as he had told me.  I just looked at him, said "yeah" and continued to look at the boxes.  I was looking at a 16" standard box and he just stood there staring at me. I felt like asking him if HE needed help.  The next thing I know he says "You probably don't need that one.  This small one here will probably do ya."  This guy didn't even bother to ask me what I wanted to box for.  He just assumed that I wanted/needed the smallest puniest size they offered.  The box he offered me was pathetic.  It was really cheap looking and was basically just a plastic box no better than what I had at home already.  Not only that it was probably smaller than what I had at home being about one third of the size of the one I was looking at.  I looked at him and said no I really think this is the size I am looking for and continued to ignore the one he was trying to hand me. 

I started to walk away to look for the levels.  "Can I help you find anything else?"  This guy would NOT give up.  I decided to humor him.  "Which aisle are the levels in?" I asked knowing full well they were probably only one or two aisles away.  "Right this way over here" he replied bringing me to exactly the spot I had suspected they would be.  I began looking at my options while the guy continued to hover.  "So are you hanging curtains or something?" he asked.  Why is it that just because I am a woman I must be hanging curtains?  Even if I was his assumption was slightly offensive.  I mean seriously talk about stereotyping.  I decided to put him in his place so I turned to him very sweetly and replied "No, actually I'm doing some carpentry.  My husband is out of town and I am doing some home improvement projects."  You should have seen the look on his face!  It was priceless.  He was completely dumbfounded.  All he could muster was "oh" and he walked away. 

Just because I am a woman and am wearing a skirt does not mean that I am incapable of doing projects that require real tools thank you very much.  I ended up walking out of the store without buying anything and found an awesome purple toolbox next door at Walmart. I am totally excited about it.  I know it's just a toolbox but for me it's something more.  It symbolizes the fact that I am not "useless."  I have many talents and I don't need help with every little thing.  Hopefully my husband doesn't think our new purple toolbox is too girly but he loves purple too so hopefully he will like it!  Take that Lowe's guy!