It's Official, I Hate Rich Folks

 I am neither salt or light today. More cranky judge on LSD indeed.

Jim wanted to go to the high end furnishing store near our house to check out their selection of kitchen islands. I tried futilely explaining that most folks have them built in at the same time they build their houses, and I doubted seriously this place carried them. But typically he had to see for himself.

We get there, this enormous warehouse filled with twee trendy furniture and overpriced geegaws run by some Europeans we know. Immediately I was distracted by the hanging light fixtures because I want to replace the 3 recessed lights over the kitchen bar with the stools. They were pricey, but not too crazy. Very doable.

Once we found our way deeper into it we saw that they had a high end kitchen cabinetry maker company on site. They did have a kitchen island on display, but trying to discover a price point was like trying to capture an eel coated in baby oil on a Slip n Slide. We never did get a price, we went round and round the industrial concrete faced kitchen island with this guy. Bottom line - they have to come out to your home to measure and do whatever calculations they need. I have the dimensions and knew what wood and stone top I needed, but no dice, no home visit, no price.

The more I talked to this salesman the more I was convinced that this was not the place we needed to be buying from. He finally admitted that they don't do guanacaste wood (all our woodwork and cabinets in the house are guanacaste wood, and this needs to match exactly) and I was ready to leave. 

A salesman we know came up, another Jose, suggesting that he come out and measure, come back to the shop and get the guy who is the store's personal carpenter to do an estimate on a custom made kitchen island in guanacaste wood and white marble top. Great, great, Jim said. I was sort of over all of it because the place we already ordered the kitchen island from is supposed to have it in stock tomorrow. We're supposed to go pay it in full tomorrow. It's the right wood and a light granite top, just the right size. It's a little late to get estimates now. Anyway, Jose gives us a time he'll be here.

On the way out of the store I spot a mirror surrounded by wine corks. $200?? I went home, pulled out my bag of corks, my hot glue gun and a cheap mirror from Maxi Pali and recreated that look quickly. I'm too cheap for that.

We waited, and waited, and waaaaaaaaaaaaited. Nothing. Gates open. Finally Jim called Jose and it turns out his boss, the European guy whose family owns a chain of this store in Germany and France and parts west, his boss thinks this is a side hustle for Jose. His boss forbid him to come out. The owner is calling us tomorrow to arrange to come out. Hell no, this has turned unnecessary and stupid just because Jim decided to shop it around. I have a distinct piece of my mind I'll be giving this man when he calls.

We've never bought anything at this place because of the ridiculous prices, and now I doubt I'm going back. I guess I don't hate the rich as much as I hate places that play stupid games with rich folks and cannot be straight forward on their pricing. We just wanted a range, lowest-highest.

Tomorrow will be here soon enough and we'll buy the one I originally looked at. With straight forward pricing, no games, heck we're getting a discount by paying cash.

On a better note my two youngest kids confirmed they bought tickets to come visit us in six weeks. I cannot wait!