“You Work at a Pet Shop, So Bring Us Cat Food: Words I’ve Heard from My In-Laws”

It must have been some years ago now when I found myself employed at a pet shop in London. Id only just finished my probation period in June, after which they made me a permanent member of staff. Allow me to reflect a little on what that actually meant.

The regular staff at our pet shop, at the end of each month, were allowed to take items the shop could no longer sell. Sometimes this meant food in damaged packaging, or tins and bags that were close to their sell-by date, even pet toys or accessories with a minor flaw.

Wed always sort out amongst ourselves who fancied what. At the time, I didnt have any pets myself, but I figured I might as well take something home if it was going.

So, the first time, I picked up a bag of cat food. My wifes parents kept a cat at their house in Bournemouth, so I thought Id be helpful and passed it along to them.

Fairly soon after, I became aware that from then on Id likely try to claim anything that might suit a cat.

The next month, I brought home a rather battered scratching post. It needed a bit of mending, but my mother-in-law stitched it up without much bother.

Oddly enough though, when I brought it to them, they were less than pleased. They were completely out of cat food and, instead of gratitude, I was greeted with:

You should have brought food this time! Couldnt you have fetched some yourself?

I must say, it stung a bit, as Id already explained how I was only able to bring what was made available to us at the shop. Once again, I reminded them of how it all worked, and they gave a show of listening, though I doubt it quite landed.

On the way home, I suggested to my wife that I would simply buy proper food for her parents cat each month, and if I was handed a free bag at work, Id just keep that in reserve. That seemed fair to both sides.

The only oddity was that, a month later, their supposedly ample ten-kilo bag of cat food had mysteriously run out. When I quietly inquired, my mother-in-law admitted shed promised a portion to the neighboureven though she knew I would bring more soon, shed given some away from her own supply. In the meantime, we ended up buying an expensive bag just to keep the peace. I tried to explain, yet again, that the cat food I provided was only meant for their own cat.

Her reply was full of vexation:

You work in a pet shop!

Clearly, they still thought I could simply grab as much cat food as I wanted from work, and that I was refusing out of spite.

Thats when I realised I needed to put an end to this charade. I straightforwardly told my wifes parents that, on principle, I wouldnt be bringing them anything else. It certainly wasnt my finest idea, but I felt it needed saying. I explained clearly that they mustnt expect any more from me, and that was the end of that arrangement.