Just after 11 am I am out my back door and on the way to my six hour Sunday shift at DreamHaven Books and Comics. I stopped at the Wendy's on Lake Street thinking I might like a different salad, I have gotten tired of the Chicken Caesar at McDonalds. I got sidetracked by a sign for Wendy's new sandwiches. I got the turkey swiss on their new fancy bread, I can't remember it's name and it's not on their website. Each sandwich is it's own little loaf, I figured it wouldn't kill me and I might like it. It was eatable, nothing to recommend, the bread was not so fresh and all-falling-aparty and there is too much mayo-like goo. As I was eating it I heard someone rattling the front door wanting to come in, but we weren't open yet, so I hid behind the cash register.
At noon I unlock the door to find the door-rattler still there, propped against the wall by the front door. The unfamiliar young woman comes in to look around, nodding hello. That's what people do, mostly they don't talk unless they need something, unless they are the dreaded chatty fanboy. I occasionally nod to people as they come in, or say hello if I know them better. I myself don't like to be bothered by clerks at stores. I can't say how other people are. Many people are regulars, I remember some of their names and others not, and every Sunday there are new faces with unknown names and familiar faces with forgotten names.
The unknown gal asked me if we had any used Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, she was holding a new copy of the hardback and the paperback. I said no and pointed to the used section, "that's where they would go if they were in the store." There were none. Later she didn't have the two books but I can't find where she put them yet. They weren't where I thought they should go and they weren't on her person, she didn't have enough clothes to cover two large books and I could see into her purse which was devoid of same books. Where the hell are they. I hate customers who don't put things back. This was learned from my mother who spent most of her life in retail and complained about finding foodstuffs in the wrong place, meat especially.
At 1:12 Denny brought in a couple of shopping bags full of books and we talked about time shifting, daylight saving time, vcr and computer clock time drift, and being places on time. He's a regular depositor, bringing in bags of mixed value for credit. He does the same thing at Uncle Hugo's.
Some kids came in and fooled around for a while then left. Some kids are ok and others are trouble. Once a long time ago, a kid pulled a knife on Sam but it was so short and the kid was so small it wasn't anything to worry about. The kid was talking trash about reading and I suggested he leave as I didn't want to listen to him dissing our books. Sam, who now works over at Booksmart, escorted him to the door and outside the kid pulls the knife. I worry about them coming back later with guns or after the store is closed with a rock. Better a broken window than a bust head, huh.
Now it's just after 2 pm and the store has pretty much emptied out. That's the way it goes. I take a trip to the bathroom. Upon returning to the counter some guy calls looking to sell some astrology books. Not here, I tell him, try some other place, like Booksmart. Earlier a guy called to see if we wanted any L. Ron Hubbard books, I said we didn't, and no, not even for a quarter. Most of the calls to the store on Sunday are about closing time...6 pm. A lot of people bring the wrong type of book to sell to the store. They often don't get that it's a specialty store. People come in looking for other types of books we don't carry. I send them to other stores, I wonder if they get there, but it goes out of my mind quickly.
Time passes slowly when there are no customers to keep an eye on, which is easier now that the weather is mild, no bulky coats to hide things in. I sold some movies since I was here last. I have been selling stuff through the store for quite some time. Those dvd's paid for the new books I got in the last week. Some more people come by in the next hour or so and it's nearly 4 pm. My nose has started to run, I'm allergic to work. A lady asked about Maakies books and we don't have anything, other than the new one, which she has. This happens often, we are always out of something. People also come in looking for a book that had been in print some time ago and they didn't get it then, and now it's out of print. Should have bought it then. The only thing you can count on from the publishing world is being disappointed.
Just past 4 pm and it's back to the bathroom to get rid of another diet coke. I return to the counter with a fresh can. I usually have an open one by the till. A little later and there is only one customer, so we rob him and stuff him in the dumpster. Two young ladies came in, lets hope they buy something. I'll keep you informed. Nope, they went into the smut room and left empty handed a bit later. Can't win them all.
In the last hour several people show up. I talk to one guy about some old comic artists. Russ Manning in particular, he's debating on the $50 Magnus Robot Fighter reprint collection, which costs less than the first issue of the comic. He didn't buy it this time, he bought a $50 Alex Schomberg comic art book. Now it's nearly 6 and after a quick trip to the bathroom I sit waiting to kick out what ever customers are left. Not many. Then it's time to go home. My nose is still running.
The Lone Wolf and Cub dvds did come last saturday. I bought some Asian versions of the dvd's because they were cheaper than the AnimEigo versions. I occasionally like to be frugal, but it's not a lifestyle. The reality is, lower cost equal more crap for the dollar. That and luck and you can fill your house with lots of stuff. AnimEigo owns the US rights, and sells it's dvds for $153 with free shipping because you are spending over $80. I bought the Babycart Bundle from hkDVDstore.com and got all six movies and Shogun Assassin for $117 including shipping. They were a mixed batch of dvd's. The first and third movies were on the Unit World Movie Inc. label and were pretty crappy. They were recorded at a pretty low bit rate and the source of the movie sure looks like the old laserdisc from AnimEigo. The subtitles sure look the same, but they didn't capture any of the laserdisc quality. hkDVDstore now seems to only stock the UW versions, so give them a miss.
