This afternoon at the store I was setting up a display of system boxes in the front window. The boxes should be stacked one atop the other, but I like artistic flourishes with pyramids and spirals, so as I worked on putting together a PlayStation display the front door opened and a guy walked in.Continue reading “On People I Don't Resemble”
Category Archives: Work
On a Bulletin Board
I’m in Durham at their new mall, Streets at Southpoint. I’d driven out there to pick up a few games–Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas had come out that morning for the PC, and my store had sold out. The Southpoint store, though, had extras to spare. So, with new Coldplay in the car stereo, IContinue reading “On a Bulletin Board”
On How My Day Went
I don’t fucking want to talk about it.
On My Day
Yesterday. Got to work at nine. Left work at midnight, fifteen hours later. Today? Probably the same. I’ve started mucking with the body chemistry. Two cups of coffee already, and probably a whole pot once I get to work. At least, I’ll brew a whole pot. I feel like a Mack truck is running lapsContinue reading “On My Day”
On Inventory
It’s done. My last inventory at the store was a year and a week ago. It’s not the longest span I’ve had between inventories–that was seventeen months back in 2001–but it’s the longest I’ve had since I came down to North Carolina. Previously, I’d been averaging a physical inventory every eight months or so. RuleContinue reading “On Inventory”
On the Deep End
It’s been an odd day. Today, this morning, I found out that my company has been sold to our major competitor. Other managers spent the morning calling, seeking my insight. I had no insight. Over the short term, I expect no significant changes. Over the next six months as our systems merge into theirs weContinue reading “On the Deep End”
On Friday
Oh, am I tired. I worked a half-day today, leaving at 2:30, because I felt like I’d hit a physical wall. In a sense I had–I volunteered to scan at an inventory last night at a story in Durham, very much last minute, and while the stock was very well prepared the scanning itself tookContinue reading “On Friday”
On the Things Employees Say
“Have you seen the Helen Keller quarter?” asked my employee. “Yes,” I replied with a shrug. What had this to do with anything? He said nothing for a few moments. Then, “There’s a Helen Keller quarter?” A bizarre turn. “She’s on the Alabama quarter.” “Helen Keller is on a quarter?” Now thoroughly confused by thisContinue reading “On the Things Employees Say”
On a Customer's Strange Request
A guy walks into the store. Black tee-shirt bearing a logo, trucker hat, mid-twenties, average height and build. He walks maybe ten feet into the store, stops, looks at the display fixture there. I greet him, ask him if he’s looking for something. “I wanted something with pictures of angels and demons fighting.” We sellContinue reading “On a Customer's Strange Request”
On Customers and Snarkiness
I couldn’t deny it. The kid was baked. Two guys walked in the store and made a bee-line to the 8-bit Nintendo dump bin. The taller of the two, the one wearing sunglasses, said that he needed some games for a party they were holding tonight. He asked how the games were priced–it depends–and startedContinue reading “On Customers and Snarkiness”