Shivers
As the Minnesota weather turns cold, I struggle to figure out how the Bay Area of California and the Twin Cities of Minnesota are different from each other.
In the Roseville, Minnesota Apple Computer Store, I wait as sales people, labelled on their backs as "geniuses", explain operating systems to an older woman. She does not understand the answers she is given, even though the responses are clear. Later, this woman turns to me. “You need to get on a list before they will talk to you.”
“Yes. I am on the list,” I say as I smile. A different customer sucks up to a genius and describes how he is not good with computers, and appreciates the help he is receiving. His aura is that of a loud salesman. I judge that neither him nor the older lady would thrive outside the comfort of their hometown element.
I must visit the “genius” because my modem is defective. Buying this modem has been a time consuming process. I asked at Bloomington why the modem I thought I had purchased with my computer was not on the receipt. “We had a bunch of modems and now we are out. Go to Roseville and have one installed for free.”
Later that day, a Roseville manager with a pony-tail “would not even know how to ring up that transaction.”
So, I am forced to beg three salespeople to call the Bloomington store. I even surprise myself with a hidden talent of mine-- an ability to convincingly swear. A genius installed the defective modem for me. Today’s genius installs a functional modem.
In the Bay Area, there are few incompetent people. You notice as clerks give change. I miss the immigrants in California who count change quickly and flawlessly, and are comfortable with giving you a $50 bill.
I think the clerks and customers enjoy a ritual of slowly counting change in Minnesota. “May I look at your driver’s license?” “I am using a debit card.” The most cash back the Rainbow or Cub will give is $25, much lower than the rest of the country, I think.
At Rainbow, a clerk points out that I have left a bag on the counter. “Thank you. I would have forgotten that.” This St. Paul clerk is competent and maybe too nice for the coasts.
I want to over-generalize. I want to say that Bay Area people are more quiet and more competent. I want to say that in Minnesota they smile more, but people here would install a defective modem in your brand-new computer, just to make their paperwork easier.
The weather is cold today.
In the Roseville, Minnesota Apple Computer Store, I wait as sales people, labelled on their backs as "geniuses", explain operating systems to an older woman. She does not understand the answers she is given, even though the responses are clear. Later, this woman turns to me. “You need to get on a list before they will talk to you.”
“Yes. I am on the list,” I say as I smile. A different customer sucks up to a genius and describes how he is not good with computers, and appreciates the help he is receiving. His aura is that of a loud salesman. I judge that neither him nor the older lady would thrive outside the comfort of their hometown element.
I must visit the “genius” because my modem is defective. Buying this modem has been a time consuming process. I asked at Bloomington why the modem I thought I had purchased with my computer was not on the receipt. “We had a bunch of modems and now we are out. Go to Roseville and have one installed for free.”
Later that day, a Roseville manager with a pony-tail “would not even know how to ring up that transaction.”
So, I am forced to beg three salespeople to call the Bloomington store. I even surprise myself with a hidden talent of mine-- an ability to convincingly swear. A genius installed the defective modem for me. Today’s genius installs a functional modem.
In the Bay Area, there are few incompetent people. You notice as clerks give change. I miss the immigrants in California who count change quickly and flawlessly, and are comfortable with giving you a $50 bill.
I think the clerks and customers enjoy a ritual of slowly counting change in Minnesota. “May I look at your driver’s license?” “I am using a debit card.” The most cash back the Rainbow or Cub will give is $25, much lower than the rest of the country, I think.
At Rainbow, a clerk points out that I have left a bag on the counter. “Thank you. I would have forgotten that.” This St. Paul clerk is competent and maybe too nice for the coasts.
I want to over-generalize. I want to say that Bay Area people are more quiet and more competent. I want to say that in Minnesota they smile more, but people here would install a defective modem in your brand-new computer, just to make their paperwork easier.
The weather is cold today.
posted by David Rasmussen at 3:14 PM
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