When my estranged father, who left 20 years ago, called from his deathbed, I was torn between anger and curiosity. His final wish revealed shocking truths.
I was getting ready for bed when an unfamiliar number called, followed by a text: “ALICE, THIS IS YOUR DAD. PLEASE CALL, I AM IN THE HOSPITAL.” My heart stopped. Dad? After twenty years? Curiosity won, and I called back.
“Dad?”
“Alice, it’s me. I… I don’t have much time.”
“Why are you calling now?”
“I need to explain… to ask something of you. But please, don’t tell your mother.” He revealed that my grandfather paid him to disappear because he thought Dad was a failure. “I took the money to secure your future.”
“Why didn’t you come back?”
“I couldn’t. But I watched from a distance, saw your graduation, your volleyball games.”
I felt my world tilt. “Why didn’t Mom tell me?”
“Maybe she thought she was protecting you.”
“What do you want now?”
“I need to see you, Alice. One last time before I go.”
I decided to go. At the hospital, he looked frail. “Alice,” he whispered.
“Why did you do it, Dad?”
“I thought it was the best way to secure a future for you. I wrote letters every year. They’re in a safety deposit box.”
After his death, I found the letters. They were filled with his regrets and love. I confronted Mom, who admitted she thought it was best for me too.
In the end, I used the money to start a scholarship fund in his name, honoring his memory and sacrifices.
Rude Sales Assistant in Jewelry Store Mocked My Grandma — The Lesson I Taught Her Was Priceless
My grandma went to a renowned jewelry store to pick out rings for her 50th wedding anniversary. Instead of returning home with a smile, she was in tears after a rude saleswoman had insulted her. My blood boiled, so I decided to teach that arrogant woman an unforgettable lesson.
So, here’s a little story about my grandma Gracie and grandpa Jamie. They were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next month and decided to renew their vows. Cute, right?
When they first got married, they couldn’t afford wedding rings. So, this vow renewal was extra special as they were finally going to get their first wedding rings. I was thrilled for these two lovebirds!
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Now, I wanted to make their anniversary super special. But, here’s the thing: I was swamped with work and stuck in a client meeting.
So, I begged my grandma to go to the jewelry store herself to pick the best wedding rings. I planned to buy them the next day as a surprise gift.
“Grams, just choose the rings and take some pics, alright?” I urged her. “You’ll find something beautiful, I know it!”
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Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “Oh, Rachel, this is going to be wonderful. I promise I’ll find the perfect rings,” she said, her voice trembling with happiness.
Seeing her so thrilled melted my heart. I watched her leave with a spring in her step, humming a soft tune, and I couldn’t help but smile.
This meant the world to her, and I trusted she’d find something that would make their day even more memorable.
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Later that evening, I came home smiling, expecting to hear all about the rings Grandma Gracie had chosen.
The first thing I did upon reaching home was run to her, expecting she would start chirping about the rings she loved.
Instead, I found my grandma looking upset, her eyes wet with tears.
“Grandma, what happened?” I asked, my heart sinking.
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She took a deep breath, her voice shaking as she revealed, “Rachel, I went to that fancy jewelry store downtown, and I found a ring I adored. I asked the sales assistant, a young woman named Cara, if I could try it on.”
“What did she say?” I pressed.
“She looked at me with such disdain,” Grandma said, her eyes welling up again.
“She said, ‘Oh, just watch it, old lady! Don’t touch it with your clammy hands. Only people who can afford such jewelry can try it on! Judging by your looks, you certainly don’t look like you could buy this expensive Harry Winston piece!’”
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My blood boiled. “She said that to you?? How dare she!” I fumed.
Grandma nodded, wiping her tears. “I felt so humiliated, Rachel. I just wanted to find a ring for our special day.”
Besides insulting my grandma, that rude woman had told her to take her hands off the glass case, claiming she’d dirtied it, and wiped it in front of her and the other shoppers.
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My poor grandma told me she left the store in tears, feeling utterly embarrassed and broken.
That was it. My blood started to boil. How dare they treat her like that?
I decided then and there that this arrogant sales assistant needed to learn a valuable lesson she’d never forget.
So, I came up with a perfect plan.
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The next day, I took the day off work and dressed in my best outfit. I went to the bank and withdrew a substantial amount of cash.
Think five figures, enough to blind that mean salesperson with a dazzling possibility of a commission she wouldn’t soon forget.
Then, I headed to the same jewelry store my grandma had visited, but I didn’t go alone. I brought along a few friends to help me put my plan into action.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Freepik
“Rachel, are you sure about this?” my friend Emily asked as we walked towards the store.
“Absolutely. No one treats my grandma like that and gets away with it,” I said, nodding.
Pushing open the door, I scanned the store. Bingo! There she was, the name tag gleaming with the word “Cara” in bold letters, almost as bright as her fake smile and her yellow suit.
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I approached the counter, cash in hand. “Excuse me, I’d like to see your finest wedding rings,” I said, loud enough for everyone to hear, especially Cara.
The snooty sales assistant came rushing to me the moment she saw me and my dressed-up appearance.
She greeted me with a fake smile, clearly judging me by my looks, and chirped, “Welcome, ma’am. How can I assist you today?”
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I returned her smile with a smirk. “Just browsing,” I said nonchalantly, walking around the store. “I want the best wedding rings.”
Cara looked at me, then at the cash. Her eyes widened, and she plastered on a fake smile, saying, “Of course, ma’am. Right this way.”
She followed closely, bragging about the fine finish and beauty of each piece. Her voice was a droning noise in the background, and I was already bored.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay
Finally, I stopped and looked directly at her. “Enough with the sermons. Show me your best engagement rings.”
She led me to the ring section with an eager nod, pointing out various pieces. “This one is exquisite, and this one has…”
I interrupted, “No, show me that Harry Winston piece.” I pointed to the exact ring my grandma had liked the previous day.
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Cara’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, “Ah, an excellent choice, ma’am!” She took out the ring and held it delicately.
I looked at it for a moment, then at her. “Let me see it up close,” I said.
As she handed me the ring, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction. She had no idea what was coming next.
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“Perfect,” I said, examining the ring. “I’ll take it.”
Her eyes lit up with greed. “Excellent choice, ma’am. Would you like to see any other pieces?” she cooed.
I tried it on and acted impressed. “Beautiful! Oh, I need another one for my grandpa.”
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Cara’s eyes literally lit up with dollar signs. She quickly found a matching ring for my grandpa and showed it to me.
As I examined the piece, I saw her demeanor was completely different from how she had treated my grandma.
I pulled out the cash and paid for the rings on the spot. She was all smiles and kept telling me what a great choice I’d made and bla bla bla.
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“Excellent choices, ma’am. These rings are simply stunning. Your grandparents will be thrilled,” she gushed, clearly pleased with the hefty sale.
I smiled back because the showtime was just about to begin. “Thank you. I’m sure they will love them,” I replied, my voice sugary sweet.
“Is there anything else I can help you with today?” she asked, her eyes still shining with greed.
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I paused for a moment, savoring the impending reveal. “Actually, there is something,” I said, my tone shifting slightly.
Cara’s smile faltered. “Oh? What’s that?”
I leaned in, lowering my voice. “You’ll see.”
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I looked around and saw my friends, who were dressed as secret shoppers and potential customers, spread out around the store. I coughed, a secret hint to them to get into action.
They each approached the sales assistant, asking to see various expensive items, pretending to be very interested.
This kept her busy and distracted while I executed the next part of my plan.
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I went outside to the parking lot where my grandma was sitting in my car and returned to the store with her.
She was a little nervous and clutched her purse tightly. “Rachel, I don’t want to get humiliated again by the jewelry store staff,” she nervously said.
I offered her a reassuring smile and replied, “Don’t worry, Grandma. You’re in for a little surprise. Just watch.”
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She looked at me, confused and anxious. “Honey, what’s going on?” she asked.
I winked at her and said, “Trust me. You’ll see!”
We walked back to the store. My friends were doing a fantastic job keeping Cara occupied. I showed my Grandma the same ring section, right where it all began.
She glanced up and started following me, quite intrigued and unsure of what was about to happen.
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I told my grandma to go straight to the ring section, sit on the stool, and try on the ring in the blue velvet box on the table.
“I’ll be back in five minutes,” I assured her.
You see, it was the ring I’d just bought, waiting to be gift-wrapped. Grandma was nervous, but I nudged her.
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She approached the ring section, opened the velvet box, and tried the diamond ring on.
Right on cue, the sales assistant noticed this and stormed over, her blazing eyes speaking volumes.
“You? What are you doing in here, hobo? How dare you touch this ring with your pathetic hands?” she barked at my grandma.
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This was it. My plan had worked! I gave a grand appearance from the doorway and loudly announced, “There you are, Grandma! I have a surprise for you! I bought the rings you loved so much. Did you like them?”
The sales assistant’s face went pale as she turned to my grandma, her eyes now filled with regret and shock. She started to stammer an apology, but I cut her off.
“Shut up! How dare you insult my grandma?” I snapped, my voice echoing in the store.
Cara looked like she wanted to disappear. “I-I didn’t know…”
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“That’s right. You didn’t know,” I interrupted. “You judged my grandma by her appearance and treated her like dirt. You should be ashamed.”
My grandma, still holding the ring, looked at me, her eyes wide. “Rachel, what’s going on?” she gasped.
I took a deep breath and said, “Just a lesson in respect, Grandma. Something this store desperately needed.”
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The sales assistant started trembling as everyone in the store, including my friends disguised as shoppers, flocked around us.
“You know,” I said loud enough for everyone in the store to hear, “this is the same grandma you refused to help and humiliated yesterday because you thought she couldn’t afford anything. Well, I just bought two of the most expensive rings in the store for her.”
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Cara’s face turned a sickly shade of white when I took out my phone and showed the video I had recorded, blurting out:
“Oh, by the way, your little act is recorded on my phone and is just a click away from going viral! I hope you will now learn the importance of respect and stop judging people by their appearance!”
The crowd murmured, and some even shook their heads in disapproval at Cara. Mr. Riley, the manager of the store, heard the commotion and rushed over.
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“What’s going on here?” he asked.
I explained everything that had happened, from the rude treatment to the way the sales assistant had embarrassed my grandma.
The manager’s face flushed with shame. “I am so sorry for this unacceptable behavior,” he said, turning to my grandma. “We deeply apologize and assure you this matter will be dealt with immediately. Please accept a discount on any future purchases as a token of our regret.”
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My grandma, still holding the ring, looked overwhelmed but managed a small smile. “Thank you,” she said softly.
But I didn’t stop there.
I immediately took to social media and wrote a detailed review of the store then and there, mentioning the sales assistant by name and recounting the entire incident along with the video I’d captured.
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With a withering look at the woman who hung her head low, I grabbed the rings and proudly led my grandma out of the store. The manager came rushing behind us, pleading for forgiveness. But I ignored him and drove away.
The post went viral, and the store’s reputation took a hit.
A few days later, I received a call from the jewelry store manager. “Ms. Aniston, I’ve called to inform you that our sales assistant Ms. Cara has been let go due to the overwhelming backlash on social media. On behalf of our store, I sincerely apologize and assure you such incidents will never happen again.”
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The next day, Grandma and I strolled back into the jewelry store.
This time, the manager himself greeted us and said, “Ms. Aniston, Mrs. Parker, please, let me personally apologize again for the other day’s incident. It was completely unacceptable.”
Grandma’s smile was a little wobbly, but her eyes held a spark.
I wrapped my arm around her, a fierce satisfaction settling in my gut. I’d taught that bully of a saleswoman a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget.
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As we walked out, my grandma said with a smile. “Rachel, you didn’t have to do all this… but thank you. You really showed them.”
I smiled back and opening the car door for her, I replied, “No one treats you like that, Grandma. And now, they know it.”
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Not gonna lie, the whole experience was a wild ride. But hey, at least it was a lesson learned the hard way: appearances can be deceiving, and kindness goes a long way. Plus, the internet never forgets!
The best part, though? Grandma never lost her sparkle, and we found the perfect rings for her vow renewal. After all, sometimes the best revenge is a killer pair of diamond rings and justice served with a little bit of internet sass on the side! What do you think?
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