A City Council Member Supports Local Economic Development

A city council member who has publicly decided to support local businesses visits a new hardware store that recently opened in town. He had heard from several of his neighbors and friends that this was a very high-tech store; it had all kinds of modern security systems in place and the store’s owners had established a 'zero tolerance' policy regarding shoplifting. They had strict customer rules and even hired their own internal security guards to ensure no one could shoplift.

Upon arriving at the new hardware store, the city council member causally walked down all aisles. He was genuinely impressed as he admired all the unique and various merchandise items the store had stocked on its shelves. He placed several items he thought he could use in his shopping cart. 

After he finished shopping, he proceeded to the check-out counter where he placed all the items he had gathered on the conveyor belt and then reached into his coat pocket to pull out his credit card. Just then a rather large, mean looking, burly man wearing a tight red T-shirt emblazoned with white letters that said Security walked over. The security guard looked directly at the city council member and in a very husky voice said: "Sir strip down, facing me." 

“What?” said the city council member? 

“I said strip down, facing me.” replied the security guard. Thinking this was all part of the store’s extreme security measures, the city council member did exactly as he was instructed. He stripped down, totally naked then turned to face the security guard.

After all the hysterical laughter in the store subsided the young lady behind the check-out counter said, “Sir, Mike, our security guard, was referring to how you should place your credit card in the card-reader – 'strip down, facing him'.

Rumor now has it the city council member has vowed never to return to that hardware store again.