I think I have mentioned this before. Every night I fall asleep listening to the radio (Mostly news. Never music.) with a little earphone in one ear. When I wake up in the middle of the night to roll over sometimes the earphone is still in my ear and I will keep listening until I fall back asleep, and if it has fallen out I will feel around for it and put it back in my ear.

Because of this daily use I go through an earphone about every three months. My latest one somehow got a sharp bend in the middle of the cord and exposed the wires. I made my quarterly stop at Radio Shack after work tonight to pick up a new earphone. The normal conversation usually goes something like this:

Me: I need a mono-earphone with a three-foot cord and an 1/8" plug.
Clerk behind counter: (handing me an earphone package) Is this what you want?
Me: Yep. That's it.
Clerk behind counter: That will be $3.27. Do you need a bag for that?
Me: No thanks.
Clerk behind counter: Have a nice evening.
Me: You to. (exit store)

This is how the transaction went down tonight.

Me: I need a mono-earphone with a three-foot cord and an 1/8" plug.
Clerk behind counter: (handing me an earphone package) Is this what you want?
Me: Yep. That's it.
Clerk behind counter: We have stereo ones too for both ears. Wouldn't that be better?
Me. I don't need it in stereo. It's just for one ear.
Clerk behind counter: What do you need it for?
Me: (feeling annoyed but I don't think it showed)I listen to the radio in bed on my side. I lay on one ear so it is uncomfortable if something is in that ear.
Clerk behind counter: (with a tone like she is going to change my life)Did you know we have a special pillow speaker for this exact use?
Me: I don't like those. I prefer a mono-earphone.
Clerk behind counter: Well, OK. Do you need any batteries tonight?
Me: No.
Clerk behind counter: (sounding somewhat disappointed)Is there anything else you need this evening?
Me: No
Clerk behind counter: Did you find everything you were looking for?
Me: Yes
Clerk behind counter: That will be $3.27. Do you need a bag for that?
Me: No thanks.
Clerk behind counter: Have a nice evening.
Me: You to. (exit store)

I much prefer my normal Radio Shack conversation.