About three wks ago now, I finally raised a smile on my Son's face. (A rare sight just lately; shame as he's got a gorgous smile, which lights his lovely face up)! He'd been staying inside, waiting for it to be cold, so he could wear his hood up to hide 'the stubs of hair growing in tufts', (after the Eshap, & Mini-Beam Chemo), and look 'normal' whist wearing it up! EG: In the warm weather we were having back then, he still wore his hood up outside, but he felt extremely PARANOID about it. In his words, "It looked so odd" I was glad to have persuaded him all'd be ok! It wasn't though, & I felt I'd let my son down; in a way. I'd persuaded him to go shopping with me,& get a new top, & also grab a meal or something.
It wasGREAT to see the smile on his lovely face, as he realised, "Yeah, Mum's right, lets go & get this new hoody" And also some new & differnt clothes, to the ones he'd been wearing for 8mnths-ish.
He neeed the clothes, but he also neded the confidence boost, to feel good in himself, by going out & facing the WORLD with his hood up!
The only 'hoody' that fit him was getting too small-& needed a wash. He'd lived in it for a while. (Understatement). So that Saturday,September 26th, I took him to our local JD.Sport shop, to buy him new hoody + other stuff, inc. 'Tracky bottoms', for comfort-(loose fitting, & good for scans): no metal, zips-etc. as on jeans. (He has literally prayed for weather to get cold-(as it is turning now), so he wouldn't look any different to everyone else)!
On reaching the shop, we went in-& started looking at hoodies. The shrill voice that flew at my son, from a little girl behind the till, (probs cheap labor for a Saturday job), raised above the 'noises in shop', demanding, (not asking), my son "to take your hood down"! Not a please, nor thankyou. No humane tone of voice, & absolutely no discretion!
The tears in my sons eyes were visible as he stormed out of the shop. I gave the 'little girl' a lesson in humility! Explained that he'd a 'medical condition', which was why his hood was up.
I reminded her that he wasn't deaf; & compassion/discression, was the way to ask: not the public annoucement my Son had to tolerate, & all in shop to hear, & turn to stare at him!!!! (Poor Boy)!
I also asked her if she ever considered why he'd have hood up? I also reminded her that 'Hood UP' didn't/doesn't automatically mean 'THIEF'!!!!
I didn't have long to speak to her, I had to find son who'd STORMED out of shop. As I'd guessed, he was by car, just wanting to get in, & get home! The whole day was ruined!! The smile, & optimism went as quickly as a deflated balloon. We went straight home from then. My son's confidence in tatters. He said he'd never go out again until it was cold!!! I went to Watford & got him a 'hoody',while he was having bloods, dressings-etc done. It ate me up to give JD.Sports my cash, after their dispicable behaviour, but as said, he desperately needed a new hoody, & confidence boost.
On arriving home, my anger flaring, I emailed JD.Sports' complaints department. I explained the situation, as I have here. I recieved an email back,almost instantly, asking for my name address postcode. Apparently to send an apology to my son. I forwarded all information asked for, to them.
However, here again, we are meeting total ignorance! As said, my 1st email was responded to quickly. Then, since they asked for my name/address/postcode/, I have heard zilch!!
Yesterday I sent another Email to them. (The 'complaint' has a case number/ticket number; it's something they are aware of)!
I felt I should remind them, as This was approx 2/3wks since giving them address-etc.
However:
1: Told to continue 'complaining' on initial link created. So I re-wrote all I'd already written to them, on the initial 'link'(?) MADNESS!
2/Then ignored
3/ RE-I re-prompted them, using 'old' link.
4/Got a message back wanting to know, date, time etc, all this happened. I recieved this Email today!
5/ Latest message today...On a 'new link'(?), asking some other mundane, irrelevant questions.!
6./ Today, Emailed back, (AGAIN), to tell them EVERYTHING they have asked for, to date. Also queried why it's all taking so long for a simple apology!
7:-J.D Sports does not, in ANY of the shops I have been in,or looked at since 'incident' with son, (nigh on 1mnth ago now), have a sign, either visible or partially visible, warn their potential customers, that entry=No hoods, hats etc, due to CCTV!
8:/ So, incase anyone reading this, doesn't worry about keeping hood up,or down, J.D Sports will take your money. Go in with hood up, & regardless, you'll have to take it down!!!
9:/ As JD.Sport's still have not got notices up on doors, informing customers of their 'hood/hat policy', allowing an informed choice to be made,by customer, beforegoing in shop, I am telling you all now!
I AM EXTREMELY ANGRY, AT THEIR TOTAL LACK OF CAMPASSION; & TOTALITY OF THEIR IGNORANCE/ NOCHALANCE!!
Thanks for reading-now you know: JD Sports will tell you to take hood down, once in the shop! No warning on doors! So don't go in if you do not feel you want to take hood/ hat off!.........
