The joy of retail

This was a recent phone call to the bookstore I work in.

"Thank you for calling (insert store name), this is Dena."
"Yes, do you have a device that works as a cello stand?"-customer on phone
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"-Me
"I'm looking for the thing you put on the floor that keeps the cello from sliding around when you play it." -customer
(taking breath, thinking Really? inside my head) "Um, no sir we don't sell anything like that here."-Me
"You don't sell anything like that?"-Customer
"No we don't sell any instrument stands here."-me
"Why not? Do you know where they would?"-customer
(seriously? is this a joke?) "well, we're mainly a book store. But I imagine a music store would sell something like that." me
"Oh, ok."click. -customer

Now, this isn't the oddest or most ridiculous questions I've gotten. but it was pretty funny at the time. I mean I work in a bookstore. And yeah we have some gift product-but intruments stands?

People crack me up. They come into a store and just assume that what they want exists. They make up a book in their head that they think should be there, and want it, can't give you a title or anything, but assume that it being such an interesting and popular subject/topic; there has to be a whole section of books on it. Not really.

And someone asked me yesterday if we had a section for "chic lit"! This is not a legitimate category or literature! We don't classify fiction on who we think may like it. And why do women need their books separated out in a special area-and most of this "chic lit" is bad lit! it's in fiction-under the authot. We don't have a special section for men either! And let's just clarify that most of the store is non-fiction! Really-anything that's not fiction is non-which means that everything else in the store is non-fiction. just so you know.

"do you work here?" when i have a nametag on, am behind the counter, and holding 16 books-is a stupid question! And I will look at you like you're an idiot too! because you are. If I'm pushing a cart full of books, have a nametag on and am holding a PDT-I probably didn't bring that suff in from home-don't ask me if I work there-then I just think you're stupid! And when you ask for the new James Patterson after that-you've confirmed it. So please think before you speak! Is it really that difficult?

Okey dokey
that's my rant.
Peace!