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Rant & Rave
DO you ever wish you had the supernatural ability to be invisible, like when you were a kid and you wished you could fly, perhaps become a jolly green giant, or simply be invisible for a day? Well, I am extremely lucky because one of my childhood wishes has come true. I have been blessed with the special ability to be invisible. No matter what I do, sometimes I can't be seen! Shopping offers a
taste of invisibilityTake the day I went shopping for my new computer. On an early sunny morning, I enthusiastically put on my best shorts and T-shirt and started my shopping journey around the island. As I entered one store, right before my eyes were 20 different computers screaming, "Buy me! Buy me!"
After 10 minutes inspecting them, I wanted more information about one of the computers. Several salespeople were aimlessly lurking about and no one bothered to help me. However, I couldn't help but notice how quickly the salespeople would flock to the older couples, the businessmen or the well-dressed customers that arrived minutes after I did.
Why couldn't I get anyone's attention?
I know why! It must have been one of those days that I was invisible.
THE following weekend, I decided to go shoe shopping. Once again, I was invisible! The salespeople glued themselves to the rich tourists and the older shoppers even though I arrived before some of them did. Believe me, it is very tough to request your shoe size when you are invisible.
Another time, when I went shopping for a cellular phone in downtown Honolulu, the same thing happened.
"Excuse me sir! I need some help, I am interested in purchasing this phone," I would boldly request, taking a proactive approach.
"Someone will be there in a minute," the salesman would reply, while rushing toward the next rich businessman that walked into the store.
Almost an hour passed, and still no one seemed interested in helping me. I was once again invisible!
Perhaps, I am not invisible but I am just ordinary. Salesmen probably figure that they would not make much commission off of me.
Being a young female college student, I probably look like I am not wealthy or serious enough to make a computer or cell phone purchase. Perhaps I should change my image and go shopping in a business suit or dress and carry a briefcase. Or I should wear a camera around my neck, and get a deep red sunburn to look like a rich tourist shopping for shoes. But then, it wouldn't be me.
It's too bad that younger local customers get snubbed in many stores when they are potential, even if in the distant future, customers for Hawaii's retailers. We are loyal customers and should be treated well. I probably have at least 60 years ahead of me as a Hawaii shopper. Yet, it took me 10 times as long as the here-today-gone-tomorrow tourist to buy a pair of shoes.
If I ever become wealthy and end up owning a ranch full of horses, a BMW and a mansion fronting the beach I could go shopping in my leather shoes, with diamonds around my neck and two bodyguards by my side. I would definitely be visible. I would probably be served faster than anyone else in the store. But I would be the same person.
In the meantime, if you ever dreamed that you could be invisible for a day, just come shopping with me. Your once impossible childhood wish will come true!
Jennifer Chang is a student of civil engineering
at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.Rant & Rave is a Tuesday Star-Bulletin feature
allowing those 12 to 22 to serve up fresh perspectives.
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