I can stare at you all day, too, you know.

[Midorikawa]

I've been doing some home remodel projects, which included replacing the valves in the shower stall in the second bathroom, and replacing worn out and not worth saving pipes in the master bath sink. I bought a new J for the P-Trap, but thought I could save the old waste drain that connects from there to the wall. Unfortunately, the J had other plans.

It seems the threads and the rest of the pipe were 2 separate pieces of metal, bonded with some adhesive, as it didn't look even spot welded in place. Of course, the 2 pieces came unglued when screwed in to the waste pipe, but not tight enough so as not to leak.

Off to Big Blue Apron with me.

I show it to the returns lady, and she calls a supervisor for a second opinion. He takes one look at it, and shakes his head, and then this exchange occurs:

Manager: Yeah. There's no way to separate those 2 pipes.
Me: That's fine. I'll buy a new waste pipe, I just want my money back for the defective J.
Manager: I can't do that. That's not our product at fault.
Me: Oh? How so?
Manager: *stares*
Me: *stares back.*
Manager: *stares*
Me: *smiles, and keeps staring*
Manager: *shrugs* Go ahead and do the replacement. *Walks off quickly*

Apparently staring contests are how returns are now decided at big blue apron. Should have brought contact lens solution, but at least I know for next time. :-P

[XCashier]

Yeah, what is with people who stare instead of answering the question? Sorry, I don't speak Stare, only English. You have to use your words to communicate with me!

At my previous fabric store (not the one I'm at now, thank God!) the manager would completely rearrange all the fabric every week. There were never any signs stating which fabrics were on which shelves, no planogram, nothing. And the customers would get POed at us and leave the store when we tried to show them the fabric they were looking for and couldn't find it because it wasn't where it was last week!

I finally asked the manager why she did this.

She just stared at me. Stare, stare, stare. Then she walked away.

To this day, I have no idea why the hell she did this. I ended up leaving the store out of sheer frustration after three months. The store closed down permanently about six months later. Gee, I wonder why?

[KiaKat]

oh GODS.

My Boss does this. Rearranges the store, then says "our customers will love having to look for their wine! It'll be an ADVENTURE!"

I keep trying to explain that there's a reason wine stores are organized the same way. Customers expect it.

He doesn't get it.

And stares at me.

>.<

[Midorikawa]

He doesn't get it.

And stares at me.

>.<

Is this some new phenomenon? This is the first I've seen it. It was like his brain stopped at the oh so difficult question, and rather than try to figure out an answer, he just put his head in the proverbial sand and stood there with a dumb look on his face.

[Food Lady]

He stared because he didn't want to give you an answer you wouldn't like.

[Misanthropical]

The pipe was defective just like the manager. He should have had no problem giving Midorikawa her money back. Instead he just stared at her like a mental patient hoping she would go away.

I don't get the whole staring phenomena going on either, but I have noticed more and more people doing it.

[LadyAndreca]

I had the staring problem for a while as a kid, when my mom started telling me "I don't know" wasn't an answer to "Why did you do that?" She broke me of that habit too by just letting me stand there and stare until she got an answer. (It got easier when I figured out "I don't have an excuse. It was dumb and I shouldn't have done it." was an acceptable answer.)

People just get blindsided when expected to give rational answers. Maybe they're afraid to say something that will anger the person they're talking to, maybe they're worried about then having to defend what they say. Maybe they realize that what they first said really was that stupid but can't figure out how to take it back.

[zombiequeen]

I'd rather my mum stare at me than hit me though. Or lecture me, I hate lectures.
At least then I can put all my years of video gaming to use and out-stare her.
I had a boss that tried that, I would tilt my heat *just* enough to freak him out. I did it to the night cook too, and he tried to tilt his head to match mine, and it cracked his neck. Of course, I can also manage to tilt my head enough to look like my neck's broken, it's fun to do when someone's lecturing you...just maintain eye contact and *tilt!* until they stop talking.

[Gawdzillers]

I had the staring problem for a while as a kid, when my mom started telling me "I don't know" wasn't an answer to "Why did you do that?" She broke me of that habit too by just letting me stand there and stare until she got an answer. (It got easier when I figured out "I don't have an excuse. It was dumb and I shouldn't have done it." was an acceptable answer.)

Louis CK has something to say about that (NSFW): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnP5oid8fD8

[MelodiousBubbles]

Ooooh that sounds so much like the Harpy at my store. She'll say something, and if you contradict her, she'll just stare you down. I've become the epic champion of stare wars because of this woman. I have yet to lose.

[MrPibbsRevenge]

oh GODS.

My Boss does this. Rearranges the store, then says "our customers will love having to look for their wine! It'll be an ADVENTURE!"

I keep trying to explain that there's a reason wine stores are organized the same way. Customers expect it.

He doesn't get it.

And stares at me.

>.<

Ah,I couldn't help but think of "Professor Layton and the Diabolical Wine Box"

[PepperElf]

I had a boss that tried that, I would tilt my heat *just* enough to freak him out.

I did that with a supervisor when he was being stupid. Kinda like the way a dog tilts its head when it's going "huh?" I wouldn't say anything but the message was clear... "Are you crazy?" ... which annoyed him. "Don't you tilt your head at me!" ( and no that didn't stop me)

[MoonCat]

I don't wanna go on an adventure in the wine store! I just wanna buy my wine and go home so I can drink it!

Had me some yummy ice cider wine today. Mmmmmm....