to think charity shop could at least have looked?

[howah]

My granddad had a stroke last year and became severely disabled. He had to move into a warden controlled flat from a large three bedroomed bungalow and so we sold/got rid of/shared out a lot of his stuff. There was a pack of three books that had been unopened that I had bought him last year and so Mum gave them back to me. I tried to palm them off on a few people, no one wanted them, so I took them to a nice charity shop over the road.

Yesterday Granddad said he was sure I'd given him some books for his birthday and he wanted to read them. I thought still had them and said I'd look. Remembered I'd taken them to the charity shop and so went over to see if they still had them and I could buy them back. Everyone's a winner. I get my books, they get some cash.

I relayed this story to two women. One was very apologetic, one was completely blunt and IMO rude. She asked me did I know what it looked like back there? and it was like a needle in a haystack, they could have been recycled or sold so point blank no she was not looking. I almost cried a bit because I'd told them the personal story of Granddad only for her to completely disregard it and act like I was asking her to rewrite and bind the books using handmade papyrus for me.

I can easily buy the books at another charity shop, they always come up, but really they could have just given a cursory glance just as a kind act and I'd have paid good money to get them back for him. I was the only person in the shop AIBU to feel saddened and not want to go back in there?

Presumably this was a volunteer, not a paid staff member? The response was probably just to do with her, not representing the charity's attitude, though it is unfortunate for you and them. What she said about a needle in a haystack may really be true but could have been conveyed more sympathetically.

It's a hospice charity too so I suppose I did expect a nicer attitude. Even if she had just poked her head round and said nope, sorry I'd have left feeling less sad. There is another one next door who I once asked if they had any monty python books. The lady searched for 20 mins out the back! I gave a large donation for her kindness!

Maybe try again when this particular volunteer isn't in?

You're right though they should at least try!

They should have, of course. Rude buggers!

If you saw the back of the charity shop i work in ud understand wat they said. Its a mess coz we get so many donations and the back room sorting space is bout the size of a car. If u came in n told me the story id probably hav asked another staff member as im not in everyday. Mayb the staff member had to stay out the front for security reasons n knew that havin a look out the back wuld take forever. Mayb u could keep checking in the story or go in another day and ask a different staff member. If u get the same response i would avoid the shop.

I have seen the back of a charity shop as I worked for a charity before I had my son. Although ours was fairly well organised, I can't speak for this place. We had a book shelf so a glance would have confirmed it. It was a large trilogy still in its packet so easy to see.

She was unnecessarily rude, don't go back there.
Yes, the back rooms are cluttered to the ceilings, but she could have been more pleasant about it. As a volunteer she should be, if she doesn't like the job, she should just quit.

Fully support the message of AKE2012

(shudders at the text speak of AKE2012)

@complex sorry for my text speak. I hate bad grammer/spelling if im writing something proper but when im texting or posting on here i usually write a lot so i try & cut it down.