oh, the poor customer service people...

now, let me say that I realize that I am the exception and not the rule, but hear me out...

I just got an email from a custom-tshirt printing place that said "Don't Forget Mom Richardson this Mother's Day."

and guess what? I haven't had a Mom Richardson since I was 5.

I previously got an email from them encouraging me to make a tshirt for the Richardson Thanksgiving. Folks, I've been the only Richardson since 1999.

Are they going to encourage me to buy Dad Richardson a shirt at father's day? um, yeah, deceased.

I have a friend who has two moms. There are people out there with two dads. Or no mom. And though lots of families can safely be referred to by their last name, there are also many, many families who cannot be grouped as, say, "The Smiths." Half siblings, step-siblings, grandparents or siblings serving as parents, adoptions, etc. you get the idea.

I get that they are betting on the fact that if my last name is Richardson--whether I am male or female, married or not--that my mom or my spouse's mom probably has the last name Richardson. Statistically that used to be a safe bet. But now? Mmmmm...not so much.

um, so, yeah. since this was the 5th email I'd gotten from them in the past year that said something about "Richardson" that didn't exist, I called and talked to a nice customer service person. who, after I very kindly told him why I was calling, was actually quite distressed that none of the marketing people were available, because he just kept saying "you are VERY right" and "those are valid points--I can't believe we haven't gotten called about this before--or sued." I told him I wasn't angry or anything, but that I wanted to point it out because eventually they were likely to run into someone who WOULD get angry.

and because it was exclusionary. which is kiiiiiind of something I loathe.

I am so becoming my mother.

Also? Fun fact. I have placed three orders from this company. Two for a team called Toxic Waste and one for a team called Toxic Threat. And I've heard nada about either of THOSE teams. Nope. Just about my last name and the family members they assume I have. Ha!