Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Going To My Happy Place

See this picture? This was the lake on a morning trek on the nature path. I'm holding that in my thoughts. I've been working at the bookstore. In fact, I have worked the last three days at the bookstore. I love the books, but I'm hoping this job doesn't make me grow to hate people! Did I say that out loud?!! Some examples:
  • The man who comes in and wants a Kipling book. "Now you're going to have to narrow that down a bit, sir." (899 came up on the computer.) He's hoping I will just scroll through them until something catches his eye. We are four deep at the desk on a Saturday. (You have got to be kidding me?!) When I tell him to look over the list while I help the next guy, he pulls out a list of three titles already written down (can't let me help someone else and risk me getting away!) and wants me to special order them. (Couldn't you have started with this, or are you a little needy for interaction with the stressed newbie running the books area by herself?) I saw him two days in a row and he special ordered at least nine titles. Yesterday, I see that we are holding 15 special order books for him already. (He's still deciding if he wants those!) I'm thinking he is a lonely, pseudo intellectual, but he'll probably turn out to be some college professor or a kajillionaire who is killing time by plaguing the bookstore!
  • The mom who comes in with two kids (ages 4 and 2, I'd guess) at 9:45 on Sunday evening. After depositing the kids in children's books, she wanders the store, sinks into a chair and begins reading--absolutely oblivious to her kids destroying the kiddy book area. After they left, it took me about 30 minutes to pick up everything they had looked at and dropped. I even found several toys they had opened and removed from packaging so they could play with the toys. Lovely!

Give me the teenagers looking for another title in a series they are hooked on, or the slightly goofy guy hunting books on blacksmithing. (He is making knives. ??!!) Give me the soldiers looking for books on military conditioning, or the Grandma wanting a book on juicers. Give me calm and solitude. Give me that lake.

7 comments:

Gayle said...

Haha! Just keep the picture of the lake in your mind.

Cousin Amy said...

I didn't even realize that dropping the kids off in the kid's section and going to another to read was an option! Thanks for the idea!! LOL!

Relyn Lawson said...

OH - I have so much wanted to work in a bookshop. You may have just cured me.

Pugelicious said...

It sounds like you really needed your happy place - that lake looks like a happy place - hope your new day is better :)

Heidi said...

Oh the stories I could tell you about working in a bookstore for the past two years, if only I wasn't being kicked off the local hicktown library computer right now- my time allotment is up!
Heidi

Puna said...

Maybe the Kipling guy likes you! We all need a happy place. Hey lady, can you suggest a book for me? I'm reading Life of Pi right now.

Mrs. E said...

He's too rude to like anyone. (Loves to tell me how I should do my job. He's quite the expert.) I loved "Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns." Have you read those two?