Definition of Seasonal

There are times when I just can’t keep my mouth shut. For quite a few years now I’ve had the overwhelming conviction that I know how best to do everything from posing wedding photos to stocking store shelves. It has been known to get me in a bit of trouble, but occasionally by-standers are amused.

In my ongoing obsession with the weather, I began to hear rather ominous forecasts for February—the possibility of a truly hard freeze. With no central heat in my home, I rely on electric heaters to get me through occasional wintry spells on the Texas Coast. With the skirting project accomplished this fall, I’ve been quite comfortable so far this year. But faced with potentially colder temps, I decided to invest in another unit.

Imagine my consternation when, in January (isn’t that the dead of winter?) I’m told by our local discount department store that they had sold out long ago, and they weren’t getting any more. The clerk explained, “They’re seasonal.”

Well, dang, I don’t know when I’ve heard such truth. Ya ever heard of anyone shopping for a heater when it’s 90 degrees? I went to a manager for confirmation, in case the clerk just made up a story to get me off his back. Yep, you guessed it, no more electric heaters—need room for air conditioners.

I couldn’t resist. I asked how many ACs he had sold that day.

Manager: “I don’t think any.”

Carol: Why do you suppose that is?”

Manager: “Well, the weather has been . . .”

He trailed off, beginning to see where this was going.

Making no progress there, I set out in search of an entrepreneur more in keeping with stores of my youth, where service to their customers made the difference in staying in business or closing.

I checked out every retail outlet I could find, and at last I trudged into a local franchised hardware store. On a Friday, they had only one electric heater left. BUT they had reordered, and would have more on Saturday. Clerk said they had sold out and reordered this winter about seven times! Now there's a concept for merchandising. Needless to say I snapped up that last heater.

This seasonal business has confounded me before. I went in search of an oscillating fan a couple of weeks before Easter one year. Nope, they were “seasonal.” To no avail I tried to explain we were in South Texas, and when it was hot and sticky, it was the season for fans. I truly dislike seeing eyes rolling around as a clerk casts about for some way to escape from this demented woman.

Websters New World Dictionary defines seasonal as “Characteristic of, or depending on, the season or seasons.”

I never hesitate to propose improvements to everything from the daily paper to scheduling of road repairs. Why not Webster? I suggest an additional definition for seasonal: ”Refers to items stores should be selling when the weather demands it.”

Story ID:	1657
Written by:	Carol J Garriott (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Organization:	home/retired
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	Port Lavaca Texas USA
Year:	2006