Well, this was more like it. This was the sort of day
I envisioned when I dreamed up the "Today at Logos" idea. It was pretty
busy today.
There was a strange face at the desk when I arrived. It was a
new volunteer, working her first stint. She told me she had wanted to volunteer for
some time, but her schedule didn't permit it, but she finally was able to work it in.
She was a bit nervous and said she had some problems during her time at the desk,
but that overall it had been good and she had enjoyed herself. She also bought the
book she was reading. I told her that was an occupational hazard!
A woman was standing behind her with 3 cookbooks, one of which was
called "No Salt, No Sugar, No Fat" and I refrained from adding "no
flavor." The other two books were a Tofu cookbook and a vegetarian cookbook.
I'm glad I don't know her. I don't think I would enjoy dinner at her house!
The guy who makes his own hats out of paper came in, but just
shuffled around for a bit and then left. While he was there, a couple came in and
browsed for a very long time, including time they sat at the table in the front and read
to each other. When they finally checked out we got to talking. Turns out they
were killing time while their Chihuahua was having surgery at UCD for a ruptured disc.
The guy told me he had been born in San Francisco, but only lived there 18 months
before his parents moved to Ventura, where he became "a surfer dude." They
were very pleasant people.
Throughout the day there was always someone at the $1 book carts
outside, and often more than 3 people there. Several actually came in and bought a
book from the cart.
A tall woman, who reminded me of Bea Arthur strode in, standing erect
and looking upward. I wasn't sure what she was doing until she mentioned that the
artist who painted the artwork that adorns the wall this month is a neighbor of hers.
I checked the time when a guy came in and bought "Of Mice and
Men" and another literature type book. It was 2:45. By that time last week, I had not
yet seen a single customer. Today by this time I had 10 customers and more standing
outside looking at the Bargain Books.
Another volunteer, who introduced herself as "Beth" came in
with two containers of donations. She told me they had belonged to a friend who died
and that "some of them are kind of old." This was inside the cover of a small book of "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
I
had to check on when the book had first been published and it was 1852, less than 50 years
before this book was given to the recipient.
For a few minutes there were no customers and I almost got caught
taking a selfie. I was actually going to take a video, showing the artwork, but
first I was taking a picture of me in the book stacks again. But suddenly a big
bellied guy walked in and I quickly put the cell phone away. I took it after he
left.
(I also took a video that went to Instagram and Facebook and which
showed some of the new artwork)
An older woman rushed in and asked if I had books on travel to Costa
Rica. I directed her to the travel section, she looked and then rushed out saying
she would remember us for next time.
A guy in a strange cap (coulda been a baseball cap or a fishing
hat) over his grey pony tail came in. He was wearing baggy jeans, but his long shirt
covered up what might have been a nice photo for Mary Wise. He went to the free arts
newspapers, waved "thank you" and left.
Next a dad with two sons came in. The boys were whining and the
older boy looked afraid of me as he passed by the desk on his way to the children's room.
For a time there was arguing and whining as Dad tried to calm things down.
Ultimately the older boy chose "Captain Underpants" and the younger one took
"The Little Mermaid." About half an hour later, they passed by the front
of the store, still carrying their books.
There was a lull of about half an hour until "my friend"
came in (some day I'll ask his name). I showed him the "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
book and he was impressed. He bought two spy books, "I'm doing real spies and
fictional spies this week," he said, as one was non fiction and one was fiction.
As usual, I screwed up his sale and he had to point out that I was giving him back
twice as much as he should have gotten. Why do I do that???
The next woman bought a book called "Fundamentals of Statistical
Thermodynamics." I mentioned that I had typed a book called "Fundamentals
of Statistical and Thermal Physics" back in the 60s...and that I had typed it 3 times
because there were no computers then. She was unimpressed.
The last customer of the day was a woman who said she was here to
pick up a book she had put on hold the previous night. It was a Diana Gabaldon book,
so naturally we talked a lot about the Outlander series and she told me Gabaldon is doing
a book signing at the Sacramento Public Library in June, a week after her next book is
released. She took my e-mail address to send me information about it.
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