Well written article, if I may say so, Karen. Unfortunate set of circumstances but, yeah, Costco has its quirks - pluses and minuses like most things. That aside, I am happy for you that you still have your Dad to go shopping with and it sounds like he's pretty sharp, given his advanced age (many a quarter of his age couldn't figure out the unit cost of something if their lives depended on it). I'm sure you'll put the disappointing rudeness behind you pretty quickly; sounds like Dad is already there. 

(p.s. It seems your angst gave some of G&M's crankier contributors a change to vent their proverbial spleens as well. I love the smell of outrage in the morning. HaHa)