Confessions of a Retail Warrior

Well, I made it through another Black Friday. (It's actually NOT the busiest shopping day of the year-that would be the Saturday before Christmas, it's just the more famous.) Despite what non retail folks may think it's actually one of the best days to work. People who shop on Black Friday know their stuff. They've got their coupons, rewards cards and best of all, a plan. I do love a customer with a plan. My store doesn't have any of those amazingly cheap doorbuster specials (Microwaves for $10! Computers for $300!) so we see people after they hit those stores but they are still mostly cheerful. They are the master shoppers-like a marathoner still smiling at mile 20, they've been training all year for this and they love the oportunity to show their skills.

The other great day to work is Christmas Eve but for the opposite reason. People who shop on Christmas Eve are usually desperate-they realize they've waited entirely too long and are easily satisfied. If it's in stock, they'll take it. These folks, usually men I have to say, only do this once a year or so and their inexperience shows. However, there is also a different class of Christmas Eve shopper-the one who waits by choice. It's an extreme sport for them and they flourish under their self imposed handicap.

The absolute worst days to work, in my opinion, is the week after Christmas. Tons of returns and people going crazy with their gift cards without the anticipation of the holiday to help get you through can make for veeery long days. It also seems like absolutely everyone else, everyone with real jobs, has time off. It does not make for happy retail campers.

So good luck to you in your holiday shopping-may your feet never tire, your credit card never be declined and you always have a bathroom when you need one. I'll be at my post, along with the rest of the retail warriors, waiting to help.

Box Set Whore

Of all the things we carry at the store the most tempting things to me, besides the stationery which I always have a serious jones for, are the boxsets. So big, so beautiful, so complete with special features to make multimedia dorks do the happy dance (hello commentary!). They call my name, begging to be explored-find my Easter eggs they say. My Netflix membership helps ease the pain somewhat (God bless those red envelopes-outside of a personal letter or a check you're expecting they are the best mail ever) but that doesn't really help with the music ones. Those you have to pony up and buy.

One we bought and are enjoying is "Hipeponymous" by the Tragically Hip (get it?). It's got 2 CDs of fan favorites chosen democratically by vote (all of mine are on there) a concert, "That Night in Toronto", which is fabulous and a DVD of all their videos which I had never seen before. It's also got a book with lots of the quirky art they are known for. I didn't really know the Hip (except for the Sarah Polley cover of "Courage" in the movie "The Sweet Hereafter") until I met my boyfriend. Unlike some other musical flirtations that coincided with a particular man in my life, (say Marillion for example) this one's going to stick. I have now seen them 3 times in 3 states and even got into my one and only fistfight at the Fillmore show we attended. (Canadians are crazy about the Hip and in some cases just crazy.)

Another set I just bought (for the great price of $11 I might add) is the anniversary set of "Born to Run". So far I've just listened to the CD but it sounds terrific. Though it's not my favorite Springsteen, it's great. It's a pleasure to hear one of rock's seminal moments at its best. My favorite part? Like plain, music loving girls everywhere I adore the line from "Thunder Road" -"you ain't a beauty but hey you're alright". I look forward to exploring the rest.

Elegy for a Friend

Last month my friend, Scott, died. I've been wanting to write about it ever since but the words have been slow in coming.

Scott was the first person I met at the store. I was wildly early because I was afraid I'd get lost. I actually did get lost but was so early I was still early. Scott told me later he spent 10 minutes stitting in his truck wondering if he'd make the wrong first impresion if he wore his camouflage jacket in. He did and it didn't.

That's Scott all over for me.

Much could be made of the "gentle giant" aspect of Scott. Yes, he could play Hagrid, the giant from the Harry Potter books, without benefit of a costume but when I think of him I think of his large heart instead.

At Borders we train 2 types of customer service-external, what we do for our customers and internal, what we do for each other. Though Scott excelled at both he exemplified the internal. You couldn't have a bad day without him asking if you were okay and you couldn't deal with a problem customer without him volunteering to be your backup.

I never supervised Scott directly so we were free to just be work chums. We had similiar ideas about how to lead so he frequently used me as a sounding board. I was always honored he chose me to listen.

Since I am somewhat the store clown I also appreciated Scott's great laugh. You'd say your thing and there'd be a long pause and you'd think-oh well, maybe next time-then it would come. A huge whole body wallshaking laugh. And your whole day would be better for it.

Then it was time for a change. In a decision that seems almost providential now, Scott left the store to spend more time with his family as he said, while his son still wanted to hang out with him. This was his last e-mail to me:

"Sam:

I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your kindness. You have always been there for me to answer any questions I had. I thank you for the support you have given me these last couple of years. For being my sounding board and knowing when to gently coddle me or strongly shove me in the right direction. That is a true friend. Once again, thanks for being you.

Your friend,
Scottt"

A Modest Proposal

Last night my work life was interupted by Mitch Albom. He was doing an event at another store and was unsatisified with the amount of books and demanded more copies. (This when the newest book is over a year old.) So of course I had to stop what I was doing in order that we might make the author diva happy.

I don't mean to rain on everybody's schmaltz parade but looking to Mitch Albom for good writing is like looking to the French for a quick solution to their little riot problem. When did we elect the sports guy to be our guru? I must have missed the polls that day. And he's not even that good a sports guy. This is the joker who once lied in an article about attending a game. Hey Mitchie, you're kind of famous in a local way yeah, people are gonna notice.

What a pinhead.

Albom's books are sugary crap that will only give you a stomachache if you're able to make it past the first person you meet in heaven. So I have a proposal. A sure fire way to improve Detroit- a trade. Mitch is a sports guy, he knows how it works. We'll trade him to Miami for Carl Hiaason. Carl writes great mysteries and kids books and is very enviromentally active. He'd probably hate the cold but we'll get him a parka. A parka and a sweet signing bonus.

A Very Good Day

If you write, any day you get published is a good day. For me, yesterday was one of those days.

Now I love blogging as much as the next dork but that's all me. Getting published for real, in black and white, is something else entirely. It means someone else picked you.

I'm happy to say that was the case for Bookmarks magazine. I wrote their "What to Read" column in the November/December issue and yesterday it showed up at my store. When I came in at 11 several staff rushed me at the door, "It's here! It's here!" Copies were bought and autographed ( a first!) and posted on the breakroom fridge-it was all very loving and supportive. And close enough to what I really want to be tremendously motivating. It's not my book being published, not yet, but it'll help when that seems like the wildest kind of folly.

Yes, it was a very good day.