| rev:text
| - Prior experience:
I've been here 3 times in the past year and a half. The other 2 times were pleasant, there was a man working and we chatted for a few minutes, he seemed to be the/an owner. An erudite East-Coaster, helpful, passionate about books and about suggesting and finding what I needed in the stacks.
Current experience:
So today I head over on my way home and I pulled in delighted to see that i have about 38 minutes before they close. I spend a minute reading the notice on the door--they're moving and I'm disappointed as I live in South Scottsdale and vacant buildings are the new concept in architecture. I digress.
I pull open the door, breathe in the trusty used bookstore scent that I love, delighted with my day as well as just about my whole damn world... Then it begins, the screeching. There's what appears to be a streetkid® (if we were in berkeley) slouched behind the register, I wince as she screams in my general direction, YOU HAVE THIRTY MINUTES!
Okay, I've worked enough retail to know that late shoppers are a PAIN in the ass, they screw up your ability to close the registers early and getting out on time, etc. Still. what about a 'hey' or a 'hi' or a 'just to let you know'. Seriously, I'm not asking for a HJ, just dish me out something polite *in addition*, if your particular brand of customer service is admonishing the would-be buyer.
I then made the mistake of going directly to her for help with jogging my memory about a book of short stories that I was interested in.... I had a partial name and was certain she'd finish my sentence with indy bookstore girl smugness, which was cool, I braced myself. Alas. no! She further leaned into the computer and came up with 'no, nothing'. To be clear, she either meant that *they* didn't have it or that it didn't exist at all, Flannery O'Connor. I persisted, 'no...? nothing?' She didn't seem invested in searching further so I asked where the 'literature' section might be and she extended her long and pale arm scarred from self-abuse and pointed in some direction that was behind me but could have also been out the window and beyond the parking lot. So far we have LOUD, rude and indifferent
As I'm perusing I see a youngish guy come in and go up to her and ask about an author, I listened to see if she offered better service, and she did... She actually peeled herself from behind the desk and personally walked him to where he would find the author. Though I am pretty sure she told the guy that Bukowski is going to be coming out with something new later this year. (ha!)
The guy and her talk about how hard it is to find such an obscure writer at the library. (ha!) In addition, 'customers who come in with lists of books' and expect her to search for them. (what! that sounds book-fun, to me!) I was going to interject on both counts but was feeling pretty 'f*ck it' by this point and I heard the door open and close and it was quiet again for a few moments.
Then, girl-clerk screamed again, "YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES!"
To be clear, I'm standing not 10 feet from her...I consider picking up a copy of 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter' but it's too new/doesn't have the old cover.
Then, "YOU HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES!"
I decide that I am not going to buy a thing even if I find the most perfect book, ever.
Back in my car, the clock on my dash says that I still have 15 minutes. I think about what a total assault this woman is on all of the senses and I consider calling the owner, and I still might.
Edit to add: I will still shop here, I'll just be better prepared and not expect the same kind of help that I once received.
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