The Friday Five: Seasonal Job Edition

Yes, I remembered (barely)! Not having a regular schedule can really confuse a person about what day of the week it is. But indeed it is Friday and I got off work about three hours ago. It's not bad--originally, I was hired for the Children's department, but I'm hardly ever there. I sometimes work at the register, but it seems most days they like to have me at the information desk. Being at the information desk is a lot like being in the library, so it's pretty interesting. The other info people are usually the cool peeps. And so far, customers have been fairly normal, and mostly appreciative.

However, I have seen and heard my share of crazy/funny/strange things. So I give you, dear blogreaders, five crazy/funny/strange things about the bookstore where I work:

1. As of right now, we have an endcap display referred to as the "Man Endcap." Featuring books like these. Man, I was so confused when there was a notation on a book to be put there. Man EC--what???

2. Ninety percent of the people looking for New Age/Occult/Supernatural books are. . . uh, what's the kindest way to say this. . . appear not to get out much. (Bonus tangential strange thing: Today one of the guys I was working Info with alerted everyone he just saw a guy picking his nose as he perused the shelves in that section. Ew! Not during cold season, man!)

3. It's really fun when people come up to the Info desk looking for this book, because we just tell them to look down. It's the entire front display of the desk. We also mess with the people looking for this series because that's on an endcap two steps to their left.

4. Invariably when I'm a cashier, if I forgot to ask people if they want gift receipts, the minute the transaction's over, they'll ask for them, but if I do ask, they look at me as if that's the last thing they'd ever want in the entire world.

5. Sometimes the lunch rush leaves the cashiers a bit giddy afterwards. Today, one of them burst into a spontaneous musical about the customers and how they keep refusing to sign up for memberships: "I don't want a membership, I don't want a membership/Please let me finish, I'm required to do my spiel. . ."

O.K., so maybe for some of these you'd have to be there. Most likely, though, if you've ever worked retail, especially at Christmas, you probably are familiar with the craziness. It's an O.K. kind of crazy. I'm kind of in a post-school freefall towards Christmas. It's tough not having the cash to do what I want, but being unencumbered in other ways feels pretty good right now.

Hope you have a feeling-good weekend, too.

Comments

Dave E. said…
"Brocabulary" sounds amusing in a one time read sort of way, but if I ever met someone who talked like that for more than five minutes I'm sure I would begin thinking very dark thoughts.

I can only imagine the craziness that goes with working retail right now. I guess I would just go into a constant state of bemusement just as a defensive measure.
Mr. Bingley said…
Have a very very merry and Blessed Christmas, m'dear!
Cullen said…
Merry Christmas Kate. I hope it's wonderful, you certainly deserve to have an amazing time.
Kate P said…
Dave--I know, the novelty wears thin a few pages into it. And yes, working retail was hectic, but it was good to be busy, for sure.

Bingley--thank you and same to you and your family!

Cullen--that's so nice of you! I hope your family is having a nice Christmas, too.

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