Yuk

Man walks into the shop and farts.

Thats it.

Doesn't even look embarrassed - he is still here, just looking at the books - pretending it hasn't happened.

Dilemma......
It is now horrible and smelly in my shop - he is still here. Do I acknowledge the fetid production of his nether regions by lighting an incense stick - or do I hold out and hope.

It's no good - the incense is calling.... I can't go on....... this may be my last post......

Genuine Rant

Ok - so this one isn't an amusing anecdote. Nor are they rest you are probably thinking - but I don't care (mentally sticking out tongue. Now there is an emoticon in need of invention).

I was assisting the local Oxfam this morning. Those who know me will appreciate that Oxfam are not my favourite charity - but never mind. As I arrived to chat to their assistant manager - who also works in my shop, and as they are throwing out the unwanted donations / rubbish, I assist in moving the sacks. There are 32 sacks of waste. As I am moving them, it is obvious that several of them are books and magazines, others are full of china, glass etc:

When I mention to him that he still isn't recycling this stuff - he just grunts a "Oh it's too much effort - we can't be bothered. If you care that much write to someone" This is a week after I had explained to him that he could get FREE salvage stickers from the council, and that all he had to do was seperate the stuff out and stick a sticker on the bag. Aparrently there are no policies for the organisation to make them recycle.

Seeth seeth seeth. Is this a sacking offense ? It would be in my shop! I am outraged (but sadly not suprised) that a corporate charity that claims to be so PC and there for the poor / oppressed / third world, can really not care about the environment or recycling basic stuff that they throw out.

They shan't be getting any more donations from me!!!

Do people listen

I arrived at the shop at 9.45am this morning. The shop opens at 10am - there was already a woman stood outside in the rain - so I knew she would be trying to sell rather than buy, and that I wouldn't want it. (No-one has EVER queued up outside to purchase, and the quality of the books from those who do wait are ALWAYS appalling).

As I come in, there are very well spoken mutterings of "about time, I have been waiting in the rain for ages"

"Well I don't open until ten" I reply, but she barges past anyway, with a "20 minutes I've been stood there. Now - I've to sell you some books"

"What sort of books" quoth I, with a heavy heart and dripping coat.

"Oh, I don't know - all sorts - my aunt has died, and I'm clearing them out - there's thousands of them."

"we only buy certain kinds of books...."
"there are hundreds of pristine Readers Digest condensed volumes and paperbacks."

"I'm sorry" I reply "We don't buy Readers Digest or paperbacks - I just can't sell them....."

She interrupts with a "I don't expect a fortune for them, a couple of pounds each will be fine, there's a lot of beautiful book club boos as Well"

"I can't sell those either I'm afraid. It doesn't sound as if there are any there for me."

"Nonsense - I'll drop them off, and you can look through them all, pay me for the good ones, and then you can dispose of the rest."

Stifling a more appropriate response, I explain that I don't do that, as I would be flooded with unwanted books in the shop. If she wanted to drive past with them in the car, I could have a quick look and buy the odd one that was suitable, but I didn't hold out much hope.

"Oh no" she replies - "I can't be bothered with that - then I would have to dispose of the rest of them"

And with that she swept out of the shop.