Working at a bookstore.

I recently acquired a part time job at a bookstore. Though writing full time has been a dream come true, I found that I was driving myself slightly batty, locked in my office all the time. I found that my tiny pool of friends was growing a tad too slowly for me, since my husband and I only moved here about a year and a half ago. I needed a new way to meet people, to get out of the house, to build a routine, and best of all, to get a discount on BOOKS!!!

After a couple months at this new job, I feel qualified to make a plea for retail booksellers everywhere: When you're talking to a bookstore clerk, you are talking to a very smart person. Everyone, EVERYONE at the bookstore where I work is very smart, very well read, and thoughtful. They work in the bookstore, not because they adore earning near minimum wage, or being treated like nincompoops by the customers who unabashedly underestimate their IQ's, but because they adore the printed word. They love books! The break room is full of people, but they're not gossiping. There's no water cooler talk. They're sitting quietly reading as they nibble on the lunches they've brought from home. Book sellers are an intellectual bunch.

So next time you're in a bookstore, take a moment to chat with the clerk who is checking you out. S/he will be able to give you recommendations of great books, and probably will be able to comment intelligently on the latest article in Time Magazine, or Harper's. You might learn something from your local book clerk, so pay attention. And above all, be polite.