Friday, July 20, 2007

Damn you Potter!

Today is the day.

Worst than Christmas is what I like to call the day when the last Harry Potter book, Deathly Hallows, is released. Or should I say the day before it releases. I just came home from the madness. Luckily, I will not be in the belly of the devil (re: when the book is released at midnight) when hoards of people come into the store to purchase said book. I was only scheduled from 6am to 1pm. And let me tell you:

The fact that we open at 9am doesn't stop the crazies from lining up at the door at 6am for the Harry Potter book! I am wiping the sleep outta my eyes and there's some kids skipping around the front door with their wands and redbulls.

Damn you, kids.

The woes of being a bookseller.

Seven million people called today asking if they could get a book at midnight. NO! you can't, I almost did the evil laugh at the end when they called. But at least I can handle calls without stressing it. It is when the store opened at 9am, is when the customer service fun started.

Ways people tried to reserve their Harry Potter book at midnight:
1) Yea, my name is coughjefffranpetebobjoecough, I reserved a Harry Potter book for midnight exactly.

2) I ordered it at Barnes & Noble and they said that you guys would honor my reservation for midnight...

3) I did pre-order it!! [five minutes ago]

4) I called and they said they were holding it for me.

5) J K Rowling is my cousin.

6) I'll pay full price!

7) I want that book, dammit! [throws money at me]

8) [random high-pitched words in succession]

9) [chanting a spell at me]

10) I gonna stand here till I get a book!

Jeez, people!! This makes me wanna go to Borders at midnight, grab a book, and starting reading the last two paragraphs over the loud speaker, ruining the ending for everyone, then calling everyone whores!!!

Labels: annoyances, customers, work

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Thursday, December 28, 2006

eww

Guy walks in the Borders with a book to return. The book was Charles Frazier's Thirteen Moons. I noticed a smell. A spagetti smell. I thought to myself, "Ah.. he probably just went to lunch." But no... the smell wasn't coming from him.

I looked at the book, as I usually do. There was spagetti sauce all over the book!!!

EWWWW!

"I can't return this book; it's not in sellable condition."
He looks at me oddly. "Why?" he asks.
"There's sauce all over the book." As he looks confused, I show him the book.
"That couldn't of happen" he explains.
OOOH REEEALLY!

I confirm with the manager and tell him that we just can't do it. He huffs and puffs (like a small child) and stomps away.

Then he returns, and says it just wipes right off.

EWWWW!

I do the return, only to make him go away. I then do a damaged report on the book. No one should have to pick up a book only to have it smell like an italian dish of sorts. This isn't Barnes & Noble, you know.

Labels: annoyances, customers, eww, work

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Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Hey there, sonny!

Someone called me "sonny" today at work. Do people still use that word? In her defense, she was old... and toothless.

Labels: customers, old people, work

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