The other day I was searching for a particular product on the shelves of one of the national chain pharmacies. As I reached for it, I noticed one of those brightly colored little signs that either tell you what a great deal you are getting or try to convince you to buy more than one.
This sign read, “Buy 2 and get $5 in Register Rewards!” I don’t know what their Register Rewards are, but saw I wouldn’t get any because of the next line.
“Limit 1 per customer.”
I called over a salesperson, showed her the sign, and asked her to help me understand. She scratched her head and stammered out a convoluted explanation that she obviously created on the spot. I raised an eyebrow. She backed up and took another run at it, making less sense on the second try.
I couldn’t help it; I laughed. I explained, “You have to admit it’s funny. I mean, if you can’t figure out what it means, how do you expect us customers to know?” She stalked away. I laughed all the way to the register even knowing I wouldn’t get any of those mysterious Register Rewards.
Very likely the person who wrote that little tag knew exactly what it meant. Someone sent it to a printer, packaged it up, and sent it to all their stores. One person in America understands the intended message; I doubt anyone else does.
A couple days later I sat with a couple trying my best to help each understand what the other said. Each became frustrated when the other didn’t get what they meant. When that happened I usually didn’t understand either, so I would intervene, ask for clarification, and then interpret to the other.
They weren’t idiots; they were human. Sometimes it takes effort to find the same wavelength. Too often we assume we know what the other means and start a war because we missed the meaning. Rather than assuming and fighting, we’d usually do a lot better clarifying and interpreting.
A clear thought in one rarely seems to convey a clear thought to the other. Otherwise, I’d have $5 in Register Rewards in my pocket right now.