Reading Is FUNdamental

I am a reader. It is what I do, what I enjoy, one of my absolute passions in life. I will read almost anything. Grover says that I don't read books, I inhale them. That having been said, one of my favorite places in the world is the bookstore. Not just any old bookstore...the used bookstore. I love the smell of it, the atmosphere. It's like walking into a room full of secrets and buried treasures, just waiting to be discovered. Some books are in excellent condition, as if they had been handled almost reverently by previous caretakers and passed on down just for me. Others are dog-eared with the spines bent from reading and re-reading. These books have been cherished and loved by someone sometime in the past and now they are just waiting for me. (And you wouldn't believe what you can find in the 50 cent bargain bin either!)

The people that work in the used bookstores love books just like I do. They will hang out and just talk with you about your latest find or recommend something else that might be just the thing for you. They are some of my favorite people.

Hence, my apprehension when I had to go to one of the 'chain' bookstores. Had to go yesterday and wish I had never even bothered. Was looking for a book for Josh and couldn't find it. So I went to the dreaded customer service counter to ask them to look it up for me to see if it was in stock. After about 5 minutes of fumbling and looking slack jawed, the girl tells me "I think it's over there somewhere." Over where? In those rows and rows of about 50,000 other books?? Can we be just a weeee bit more specific? Oh, never mind, I'll find it myself. (And I did, eventually) And I wont' even go into the minor coronary she almost had when I asked her if they had 'Farnham's Freehold' by Robert A. Heinlein. Aaaaaahhhhh!! It was all I could do to keep from ripping her tongue ring out. I found myself wondering if she could even recite the alphabet in her spare time.

Anyhow, I know that to her it's just a job. But I'm wondering if these major bookstores could actually take the 5 extra minutes in the interview to make sure that their prospective employees love books or at least make sure that they know how to read.

I realize that I'm probably sounding way too pretentious here. That is not my intent. I just get kind of aggravated when someone messes with something I love;). Booklegger, here I come!

Peace allllll..........