Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

I can't believe I did this

I went through a drive-through for Schlotzky's, and I'm not that familiar with their menu, and I couldn't find the one thing I have had there in the past.

Me: Do you have an Italian pizza? I've had one before but I don't see it.
Clerk: We have a Mediterranean pizza. It has Feta cheese.
Me: (I haven't really gotten to the point of loving Feta, so I groan a little). No, it had tomatoes on it, I remember that.
Clerk: Tuscan Herb?
Me: That's it! I'd like one of those please.
Clerk: Just one?
Me: Yes, that's fine.

It occurred to me at that moment, in a flash of embarrassment, that I had done the equivalent of every librarian's pet peeve...the 'Do you have this book, I think it's red' patron.

Patron: I'm looking for a book.
Librarian: What kind of book are you looking for?
Patron: It's red. (Voice tone seems to indicate this is meaningful.)
Librarian: Do you remember the author, or what it's about?
Patron: Um...there were a couple of kids in it. I read it as a child. It was my favourite. (Must not have made that much of an impression, though).
Librarian then asks a series of questions aimed at getting the one piece of information that will let him/her latch upon the correct book. This varies. For example, a red children's book about a bull is probably Ferdinand. One about a couple of kids is going to take a lot more, especially when covers update over years.

Anyway, I apologised to the clerk for being an idiot. I know how she feels. :)

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