For all my rants about Wal-Mart, I still shop there. I live in a tourist town. Of the four local hardware shops around when I was growing up, there's well, none left. Oh, sure, we have an Ace Hardware, but everything else is upscale or for tourists.

Well last week, we got ourselves a Super Wal-Mart. My dad decides he wants to buy some groceries because "I have some money." We go to Wal-Mart and load up the cart. When we get to the check-out, he tries to buy the groceries with the card.

It declines.

He starts the confused "I have the money" speech we all make when the card declines on us. Finally I whip out my check book and write a check for $170. One Hundred and Seventy dollars earmarked for credit card payments.

*Sigh*

Two steps forward, one step back.