Lovely as most of my customers are, there are a few whose sanity I have to wonder about. Below is a selection of the choicest remarks heard at work; I assure you the list could well be endless.
"Do you buy books?" (At least once a day)
"I notice you have a copy of (insert name of common book with no identifying features) advertised. Is it the one a friend stole from me in 1987?"
"Do you know anything about books?"
"I've got this first edition which is a later reprint..."
"Have you got any red books?"
"Are you the boss's son?" (I'm a girl).
"Are all these books for sale?"
"So if I find a really old book, I can just bring it here and give it to you?"
"I want a copy of (say Biggles Flies Again) but only if it's a first edition with a dustwrapper and under £50..." (Don't we all!!!)
Customer, after being told his only chance of getting rid of a particularly unspectacular book is to offer it to the local charity book sale: "What? I have to GIVE it to them?"
My personal favourite (I suppose I ought to have been flattered):
Customer: "Is this your stall?"
Me: "Yes, that's right."
Customer: "Are you sure? You look a bit young. Isn't it your mum and dad's stall?"
And they're just the polite ones! Sometimes I think I should write a book of my own- I certainly hear enough interesting snippets to come up with something- but the trouble is, nobody would believe me. Better just stick to selling them for now, I suppose...
"Do you buy books?" (At least once a day)
"I notice you have a copy of (insert name of common book with no identifying features) advertised. Is it the one a friend stole from me in 1987?"
"Do you know anything about books?"
"I've got this first edition which is a later reprint..."
"Have you got any red books?"
"Are you the boss's son?" (I'm a girl).
"Are all these books for sale?"
"So if I find a really old book, I can just bring it here and give it to you?"
"I want a copy of (say Biggles Flies Again) but only if it's a first edition with a dustwrapper and under £50..." (Don't we all!!!)
Customer, after being told his only chance of getting rid of a particularly unspectacular book is to offer it to the local charity book sale: "What? I have to GIVE it to them?"
My personal favourite (I suppose I ought to have been flattered):
Customer: "Is this your stall?"
Me: "Yes, that's right."
Customer: "Are you sure? You look a bit young. Isn't it your mum and dad's stall?"
And they're just the polite ones! Sometimes I think I should write a book of my own- I certainly hear enough interesting snippets to come up with something- but the trouble is, nobody would believe me. Better just stick to selling them for now, I suppose...
Got any classic quotes of your own to share? Comment below!
You wonder why some of them are even visiting a book stall!
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely write a book, archie. It'd be a best seller!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder why people don't just think what they want to think...and then just not share it out loud!
ReplyDelete