Oh the humanity (subtitle: three strikes, you’re out)

birdhouseLemme see. The plan. 1) Look for a 3-quart *red* Farberware saucepan to match the ones at Houghton Lake. 2) Look for a Photoshop book that spends more than two pages describing how to use vector-based tools. 3) Scoping what’s out there for potential xmas gifts for various folks. How many shopping days again?

Three strikes. I was out. Saucepan? Not. Not a matching one anyway. I did see a very similar pan (red) at Meijer this morning. I’ll go back and snag that one. Three-quart is my main rice-cooking size. Just a personal idiosyncrasy. Photoshop book? Actually I didn’t totally strike out on this one. I didn’t find anything that spent more than about five seconds on vector-based tools but I did find one that did a pretty thorough job of describing how to use PS tools in general to create artistic effects. I’m going to guess that there are Internet-based tutorials that might help with the vector-based tools. Xmas gifts? Nothing. Nada. This wasn’t even one of those days when I had a panic attack while shopping. I just got distracted.

I was distracted by humanity, mainly. Particularly at Borders. Looking for a Photoshop book, don’tcha know. I was sitting there at a nice little table perusing a couple of books to see if they had what I wanted (not and not Borders’ fault). Two employees bumbled by and a little conversation ensued. First guy: “Dude. I’ve only been a manager for like a week!” Second guy: “Dude. Me too!” It didn’t seem like they were doing anything managerial. They certainly weren’t asking any customers (me) if they needed help. Not that I needed any. A few minutes later a personable young woman *did* ask me if I needed help and I said I didn’t and we joked a bit and she left me alone. Which was a good thing, since I hate invasive sales folks. I wonder if she was a manager.

This whole thing reminded me that even now, when the economy is still horrible and so many people are out of work, how getting a job is such a crap shoot. I’m not picking on Borders. This little conversation could have happened in any store. I just happened to be in Borders. I love Borders. Borders is in an iffy situation and I want it to survive. When I buy books these days, I buy them from Borders. I bought one today. Borders started out in Ann Arbor and the original store is where I used to buy sci-fi when I still read that stuff and it’s where Lizard Breath learned to climb stairs and I can remember when all of the clerks had to pass a literacy test of some sort to be hired (is this true?). The folks who worked in that old store knew their stuff but they weren’t above helping a guy find a place to change his newborn baby girl’s diaper. They sensed future customers, I think, and we have been big-time customers over the years. Today is probably the first time I have ever heard the word “dude” spoken by a Borders employee. In Ann Arbor, no less. In the old days, it would be unlikely to hear the word “dude” even from a customer. Sigh.

All in all, it was a good day. Mouse and I walked downtown to the Farmer’s Market and hauled three blasted butternut squashes back home (one was really small) and some onions and carrots and I forget what else. It was an absolutely beautiful day and I was actually outside in the *sun* long enough to have picked up a little color and that’s about it for now.

Good night,

KW

5 Responses to “Oh the humanity (subtitle: three strikes, you’re out)”

  1. Paulette Says:

    Borders in Ann Arbor has been a haunt of mine for years from 1971-2001. Loved the place. Coming up from Toledo, I would spend hours there with a great friend. Then it was lunch at the vegetarian restaurant (?) down the street. Even a visit to the oh-so-expensive Jacobson’s Dept Store. Thanks for the memories, KW.

  2. Margaret Says:

    I love Borders too, even their coffee shop. However, I mostly buy from Amazon these days–which was “born” in my back yard.

  3. jane Says:

    dude! 😉
    yes, there used to be a ‘book test’ associated with hiring at Borders. not any more, and not for many years now.

  4. Tonya Says:

    John and I used to have “Friday night dates” at Borders. We’d spend hours in there, sipping coffee and perusing books, magazines, and music. I was the one who usually bought a book and John often bought CDs. But they’re prices got to be so high compared to Amazon’s. 20% – 30% off bestsellers was about the best they could do. And now we both have Kindles…

    But I do miss those Friday night dates.

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