THE AM-EX RIPOFF?

Christmas is a tough shopping time for grown up kids who are looking for birthday and Christmas gifts for parents who are in their senior years.

My parents were smokers so cigarettes or pipe tobacco was a fairly safe bet - at least early on. I needed to expand my horizons.

Unfortunately, by the time Mom reached her 50's she had pretty much cornered the market on Milk Glass - and I really didn't want to listen to her lectures about buying Dad any more Vodka. He obviously was running out of places to hide it.

I found that a good alternative was driving them to a nice restaurant for dinner post-holiday - something we all could enjoy.

When my kids ask, "What would you and Phyl like?  - I sort of draw a blank. God has been good to us - both with our kids - and our creature comforts.

This year we hung a sign over our closets proclaiming it to be :"Bealls Department Store - Sullivan Branch".

Nowadays, almost everything we wear - from head to toe - comes from our Bealls stores in Florida.The clothes are well made - designs ever changing - selections many - and all the goodies  - needed or not - are reasonably priced.

When we consider our "Beall Bucks" we receive based on prior purchases - their frequent sales - and weekly Tuesday Senior Days - I fully expect someday - after they bag our purchases - they will  put nothing on our charge - and instead, hand us an instant cash rebate.

My alternative gift idea for my kids  - who have no Bealls - is non-specific gift cards that they can choose to spend them wherever and whenever.

A tradition between me and my kids is to use gift cards of varying denominations as opposed to either of us purchasing for the other an item of gift clothing that even the guys over at the Moose would laugh at.

My gift cards are usually either for a great restaurant they might "pass" on due to family priorities, or instead, to as a means of furnishing them with some extra funds for something expensive they like but hesitate to buy. The gift cards can make up the difference and placate their conscience for wanting it.

One of my kids simply asks for a holiday gift card from Lowes each Christmas - as he's always building something.

While some in my family don't understand the logic - it works for us.

My side of the family has concluded gift cards are great - that is - unless they are Am-Ex gift cards, like the two for $25 one of the kids thoughtfully sent to me for my birthday. Couldn't use them!

Even though my kids paid cold cash (which is floating around in someone's business coffers)  - the checkout clerk either overlooked or possibly intentionally failed to clear the Am-Ex cards for future use - and, bottom line - the kids have no receipt to determine which of the hundred stores in their shopping area "did the deed".

"Ole Dad" was upset with both the store and Am-Ex when he found out what happened - but not in anyway upset at the kids.

It was a great idea - and could have easily been the incentive for me to try the top shelf wine at Geckos instead of the house brand. The fact I require neither is beside the point.

Let's be honest: "Who hangs on to all their family shopping receipts - particularly when our progeny have 14 kids of their own. That's one heckuva lot of receipts to store up.

Besides, the kids probably concluded : "The cards are from American Express - what could possibly go wrong?"

I simply reasoned all our kids would need much larger homes or go rent storage rooms (first month free) to retain all of their many receipts.

Despite my calls to Amex - and they were not dull - my attempts to reach  someone who had more than a  passing knowledge of English pronounciation  accompanied by slightly above average customer service skills - were all in vain.

Even following  my encouragement of the "supervisor" to set up a conference call  between Am-Ex , my kid and myself  (and which he also blew) - Am-Ex wouldn't bend.  

The attitude of the Am-Ex supervisor was :"No receipt? No replacement. No reimbursement!" I reluctantly gave up - deciding recovering fifty bucks isn't worth a stroke.

My "Senior Logic" tells me: Am-Ex sold the cards to the retailer for resale - making a profit.The retailer pocketed my kids $50  - also making a profit  - and my kids - the consumers - are out 50 bucks - simply because they don't hoard all of their store receipts and had confidence in "Big Blue".

Maybe on the next trip to Bealls I can purchase a suitable frame for my two bright and shiny American Express gift cards - that do not expire until 2023 - and hang it above my office computer - so I don't forget.

The fact I couldn't use the cards to buy yet one more Bealls sweatshirt and/or a pair of K-Swiss sneaks to add to my collection is a minor issue.

However, the fact that the money didn't go to one of my grandkids to purchase his or her own sweatshirt and sneaks - is not.

Thank You Am-Ex.