Lots of little print shops used to have a sign prominently displayed that read "Poor Planning on Your Part Does Not Constitute and Emergency on Ours." Maybe not a great declaration of customer service, but I sympathize with the sentiment.* I was in the back conducting necessary deskslave business and not at the desk as scheduled. Of course, that was the moment that a typically levelheaded colleague rushed over and asked if I was supposed to be at the desk. "Some lady is freaking out over there."
She pointed to a woman giving a shelf the once-over. I boldly strode over to where she stood.
"Hi, can I help you find any..."
"Yes! I'm looking for [some currently semi-popular novel]. It's supposed to be in! It's not here!" This was all said in the sort of tone I would expect from somebody looking for a lost child or wallet.
I asked about what she had tried and I was told breathlessly that she had already told somebody. Not wishing to take the time to explain my lack of telepathic skills, I asked her to repeat what she had tried, which amounted to looking on the fiction shelf. I told her that I would look it up to see if it was supposed to be on the New Fiction shelf, or perhaps had just been
checked in, blah blah blah. She told me that she was late from her lunch and had NO TIME FOR THIS. I told her I'd look, but also mentioned that we could place a hold and she could come back later.
She pointed to a woman giving a shelf the once-over. I boldly strode over to where she stood.
"Hi, can I help you find any..."
"Yes! I'm looking for [some currently semi-popular novel]. It's supposed to be in! It's not here!" This was all said in the sort of tone I would expect from somebody looking for a lost child or wallet.
I asked about what she had tried and I was told breathlessly that she had already told somebody. Not wishing to take the time to explain my lack of telepathic skills, I asked her to repeat what she had tried, which amounted to looking on the fiction shelf. I told her that I would look it up to see if it was supposed to be on the New Fiction shelf, or perhaps had just been
checked in, blah blah blah. She told me that she was late from her lunch and had NO TIME FOR THIS. I told her I'd look, but also mentioned that we could place a hold and she could come back later.
I'll cut to the chase here and say that after a longish search I found it. Jubilantly, I approached her with a smile and held it out to her.
"Jesus!" she exclaimed, pulling the book from my grasp. She stomped over to the self check from there.
*Another great sign I once saw read "Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick Two."
"Jesus!" she exclaimed, pulling the book from my grasp. She stomped over to the self check from there.
*Another great sign I once saw read "Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick Two."
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