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Recently, I found an envelope full of cheer in my mailbox, but the story began back in 2004.
I was doing my regular grocery shopping at QFC when I noticed the Pupperoni, that my little dog loved, was $19 a package. Curiosity became an imponderable after I pointed this out to associates at three locations and the price did not go down.
My response? I utilized my penchant for light verse.
I had been selling light verses to the Wall Street Journal for their Pepper & Salt feature since 1986. In 2000, the verses were discontinued. My rhyme engine was still running with no place to go so I wrote a poem and sent it to the QFC corporate office:
TO THE POWERS THAT BE AT QFC
At the risk of becoming labeled some kind of a nit-picking nut
And before my question is tabled, I will ask just once more what is what?Your stores are all upscale and tony right down to the pet food sectionSo check out the Pupperoni and the price of your only selection.Please notice the tag on the shelf that’s displaying the price of a poundThen send out the big cheese herself to the markets to shop around.Before I think something is phony and shop somewhere slightly more drab,Kindly tell me why Pupperoni costs as much as a pound of crab.
In about a week, I received a letter with the news that they had corrected the price and to my surprise, the whole office had collaborated to thank me with a clever rhyme of their own. I recently found a copy of my letter and their poetic response. I decided to send them both to the current QFC president in hopes that it might add a chuckle to someone’s day.
The second surprise in my mailbox was a letter from the QFC corporate office. It was a delightful rhyming response written by Chris Albi, the president. It made me laugh and it obviously reflects the value that the company places upon their customers. To quote a good friend, “If QFC doesn’t have it, I don’t need it!
Pat D’Amico, light verse contributor to Northwest Prime Time and many other publications, has written, illustrated and published three poetry booklets
