The news that U.S. department store giant Target has its beady little eyes on our beloved Hudson’s Bay Company has many Canadians agitated, and rightly so. As one shocked and appalled patriot points out in a letter to the Globe and Mail, “The Bay is our greed-driven, me-first, ecologically uncaring corporation… Let’s go against Canadian ideals here and at least try to survive among the fittest, eh?”
This reminded me of my recent trip to The Bay… or, I should say, Our Bay.
“Mr. Cottingham,” the sales associate in the Liz Claiborne section murmured respectfully as I went by. I strolled through Men’s Wear, basking in the repeated greetings as I passed the Tommy Hilfiger (“Hey, Rob!”), 317 (“Dude, how’s it hanging?”) and Ralph Lauren (“Delighted to see you, Roberto!”) sections, before I finally stopped in front of a rack of Calvin Klein ties.
Instantly, an associate was at my side, handing me a china cup of hot Darjeeling.
“I think…” I began, and then grinned despite myself at the sight of so many employees’ heads swiveling toward the sound of my voice. “I think I’d like to take them all. Every tie on this rack.”
“A superb choice, Rob. We actually had you in mind when we picked them out.”
“Naturally, I don’t expect to pay for them.”
“Rob, please. This is your store.” He chuckled. “‘Pay for them.’ Really, now.”
“They’re made in Canada, of course?”
“We even insisted that Mr. Klein take out dual citizenship before we would carry his wares. Well, if that’s all, then I’m off to the fifth floor to grab myself a few dozen microwaves. After all,” he winked, “it’s my store too.”
