Thursday I ran across another packsearcher in my local big box store. I wasn't even going to go down the card aisle, but as I walked by I saw him doing his business and I just couldn't help myself. I had to confront him. What you'll be reading is a fairly accurate transcript of our "interview".
The setting is the card aisle. The players: Me, a 41 year old Brad Pitt type (not really). Him, a 50ish Nick Nolte mug shot type (really).
Me: What are you doing?
Him: (blank stare)
Me: You do realize you're getting sloppy seconds right? Those packs have been manhandled quite a bit. (I really said that. He was searching the gravity feeders of Update and Ginter, both having been there for weeks.)
Him: You never know what might still be here.
Me: Why do you do that?
Him: Why do you care?
Me: I'm just curious.
Him: Sometimes you can find jersey cards in the packs.
Me: Can you show me how?
Him: No.
Me: Why not?
Him: Because you'll get the good stuff.
Me: What good stuff? Those packs have been there for a month.
Him: I know. I haven't found anything.
Me: Do you ever find anything?
Him: Not much. Everyone beats me too it.
Me: Not everyone is a packsearcher.
Him: I'm not a packsearcher.
Me: (Rolls eyes and prepares to unleash the beast) Yes you are. I watched you bending the packs and running your filthy fingernail down the pack. You're ruining the cards. The cards my son spends his hard earned money on. You're not even finding anything.
Him: (speechless)
Me: What do you do if you find anything good? Sell it?
Him: No way, I'm a collector!
Me: No, you're a packsearcher. Guess what.
Him: What?
Me: You suck. I'm going to get the manager.
Him: So what.
I walked away, not intending to get the manager, and I looked back to see him scurrying toward the other exit. Unfortunately, my phone was dead or I would have taken a pic of him for your viewing displeasure.
I'm going to continue to give these guys grief when I see them. They don't deserve to sit there unchallenged. The stores may not care. The manufacturers may not care. I care.
Well played!!!
ReplyDeletePerfect.
ReplyDeleteI've never actually seen one. Good job !
ReplyDeleteA collecting vigilante!
ReplyDeleteKudos! Can't understand why people think it's okay to feel up packs and damage cards. Retail is tough as it is... Pack Searchers only make it worse.
ReplyDeleteLOL...a collector. A true collector doesn't search packs. Lying piece of garbage.
ReplyDeleteNice work dude...
I tip my hat to you sir. I saw a guy finishing up his pack searching on the football cards and noticed he had a little stack of cards set down on top of the blasters. I was really tempted to pick them up but just shook my head at him and he left got them and left.
ReplyDeleteGood form sir keep up the gud work
ReplyDeleteWell done! I hope you see him again and snap a photo.
ReplyDeleteHaha well done
ReplyDeleteGood for you. It's frustrating that so many people who could do something about these cheats just don't care.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen anyone doing this, but know people do. So glad you called him out on it!
ReplyDeleteYou are doing the lord's work, good sir.
ReplyDeleteA tip of the hat to ya!
Good work, man. I never thought about the "get the manager" threat, but I figure they know they're doing something wrong, so that'd probably work in most cases.
ReplyDeleteWow, i couldn't imagine being that confrontational with someone - you just never know how they are going to react. I bet he was sweating bullets though, lol!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen one either, I'm not sure if I would confront them either. I'd like to think that I would though. You're a real life Batman! Good work. I bought some retail Ginter the other day and they had been damaged by packsearchers.
ReplyDelete