At about 3pm yesterday afternoon, I was really out of my element.  Lebowski-like-out-of-elementness, if I can say that.

Why? The blunt answer – lingerie.

Making a statement as bold as that, though, probably begs further explanation, so here goes:

• I had just come out of a very positive meeting at Glass City Cafe (who knew they served Artigiano Coffee – part of the 49th Parallel clan?)
• It was sunny
• I was in a good mood
• I happened to be walking down Alberni back towards my office (have been a regular at Italian Kitchen, so I know the route well)
• I was in a I-want-to-do-something-special-for-my-fiancee kind of mood

Enter Betsey Johnson at 1033 Alberni Street.

Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I can hold my own when it comes to gift shopping for women (I think my sisters would agree, thanks to Fine Finds in Vancouver).  But when it comes to lingerie, I need help.

And help, my friend, I got.

My experience probably started as you would have expected – lots of smiles from the females in the store seeing me, in obvious out-of-elementness. What broke the deafening silence of uncertainty, though, was probably the kindest and most helpful salesperson I could have wished for.  She was the only female on yesterday at the time I was there and let me tell you something, my friend – she timed and delivered everything perfectly!

Helping me select some high calibre lingerie (she owned the set as well) for what I thought was a reasonable price (I had no idea, remember, this was completely impromptu) was greatly appreciated.  In fact, the whole encounter was relatively easy!

I was soon drenched in pink…gift wrap, boxes, and as you may have already seen from the image at the top of this post – a massive bag with the Betsey Johnson logo splashed all over it.  With the service I had experienced for the 10 minutes or so prior to becoming a walking billboard for Betsey Johnson, I was happy to carry it ’round for the rest of the day before the presentation later in the evening.

In fact, I later walked back past the store on the way home and I ran past the same salesperson on the street (who was also carrying a bag).

Her comment – ’she’s going to be one happy girl!’.

My retort – ‘absolutely, thanks again!’

My thoughts (not retorted) – you have no idea how easy you made that for me

…and how you’ve now got a repeat customer for as long as men need to buy these kinds of things on sunny days, all impromptu like.

darren