Salespeople

In general, I find salespeople irritating. Of course, I find most people irritating. Here are some specific examples of salesperson-related irritation that I've experienced this year.

I bought my widescreen TV at Myer a few months ago. The salesboy (yes, this weedy Asian guy admitted to me that he was an 18-year-old studying Science/Commerce at UWA, who enjoys playing computer games in his spare time, on his parents' widescreen TV) repeatedly complained to me that he was staying late to complete my paperwork. When I asked him whether he had to rush off somewhere, he replied, "Nah, probably just going to go home and play computer games." (This was a Saturday night.) The most annoying part was when he kept making comments about my supposed "husband or boyfriend," including: "Do you have a husband or boyfriend to help you set this up?"

Another annoying sexist salesman remark was encountered on Sunday when I was buying my new computer/printer and all the other accessories (including a teeny, tiny mouse - apparently this is a very girly purchase). The salesman asked if I'd been out the previous night, I replied that I was still suffering the consequences of Friday night and his first response was: "What were you drinking? Breezers?" In truth, I'd drunk anything but. Beer, champagne, cocktails, G&Ts, shots of Jack...

Purchasing any sort of home entertainment or IT device (or furniture, for that matter) seems to throw up all sorts of barriers for the young single girl. I know I'm not alone in this. Don't these retailers realise that single young women are a fast-growing sector of property-owners? Maybe I need to buy less hi-fi and more hairdryer/vibrator/kitchen appliance.