Quotations and Literature Forum

I worked at a Books-A-Million during the summer of 1997 ("Thanks a million for calling Books-A-Million, how may I help you?). It's the bookstore equivalent of a discount-club store. I stood under a big sign which read "Customer Service," and people would ask me, "Where is customer service?" As you walked in the door, there were 10 separate bookcases, numbered 1 through 10, with a sign above: "Top Ten Bestsellers;" people would walk right past them to the center of the store to ask me where the top ten bestsellers were. People would call to ask for the store hours; I would say, "We're open from 9 AM until 11 PM everyday." The immediate response, nearly every time, was, "How late are you open tomorrow?" I had to explain to the manager that, in the Religion section, books by the Pope and Mother Teresa didn't belong in the Judaism section.

No one ever tried to rob us while I was there, thank goodness. I also disliked the day-to-day part of it--reshelving, calling little old ladies to tell them their special-order books on S&M had arrived, constantly having to try to sell "club memberships" . . . Not exactly my cup of tea!

When I worked at the bookstore the management required booksellers to solicite club memberships. The managment did not offer a financial incentive to the employee. If an employee sold 100 memberships in a month, that employed earned not one dollar more. After the first month I seldom suggested a club membership to a customer. After working three months I had saved up enough money to hunt boar in the fall. Of the few things that I learned, bargain books (hardbacks that were discounted) were shipped separately as "bargain books" and not discounted from the shelf. If a new book (or books) did not sell after a period of time they were shipped back to the broker (or publisher) as "unsold." I was under the impression that bargain books were discounted from the existing inventory. Another thing that I learned was there were no security measures for theft. Theft of books was rare at the store where I worked. (So I was told.)

Working at a bookstore just bored the pizz out of me. Typically I would work about 20 hours each week (after working 40 at my regular job). I would rather cook pizza as a part time job because you can't eat books. The best part-time job that I ever had came along in 1997. I bought beef jerky directly from a broker and sold it at a wholesale price directly to retail stores. In a period of 3 months I had developed my own route and I was able to run my route each morning before my regular job. After three months I was earning about $30.00 per hour and working only 5 hours each week. After I saved up enough money to pay for a cruise I sold the sales route for $2,000.00. The problem with a route is that you have to work it all year long.

I don't usually go to the Corrections Forum, except to post my fussy corrections. Who knew such fascinating chat was going on? And that people were even expecting me to weigh in?

Here goes:

When I was a young fussbudget, I learned to say "Aren't I." And, when I was fourteen or so, someone--I forget who--taught me that it was incorrect, and that I should say, "Am I not"!

Can you imagine a kid from the West Bronx saying things like this during a stickball game: "I'm batting next, am I not?" At that rate, I probably wouldn't have lived to be an old fussbudget. So I decided for a while to say "Ain't I" instead of "Aren't I."

Well, sorry folks, even in my Bronx days I was not a fugitive from the Dead End Kids. But I still try very hard never to say, "Aren't I."

Ain't that a sad story?

Next week, let's talk about "whom."

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Mr. Fussbudget

True wit is nature to advantage dressed,
What oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed.

Delightful anecdote, Mr. Fussbudget -- thanks! Well done.

My personal pet peeve is the common usage of 'corporate' instead of corporation or company. "The corporates" ....arrrggghhhh! Its a frigging adjective not a noun - it doesn't matter how many times I hear this I have to scream at the radio\TV ....

csalmon one of my favourite quotations - "There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the Universe" (Frank Zappa, I believe, paraphrasing Albert Einstein's original version)

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webmaster Virtuallyhorses
http://worldzone.net/recreation/virtuallyhorses

hahaha, well one of my friend's brother got robbed twice in one summer when he was working at a travel agent. I asked myself why people rob travel agents, since i wouldn't think that they generally have money, but hey.

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The eternal silence of these infinite spaces fills me with dread.
Blaise Pascal