donations.

We're currently doing a picture-book book drive. If you purchase ANY children's book at full price (which could range from a small $4.99 paperback to a $18.99 hardcover), you get 20% off your entire children's book purchase.

Now, if you're buying two hardcover books, purchasing a cheap children's book would just make the 20% even out the purchase. Maybe even save you $.50. It shouldn't matter--you donated a book and bought your own books for the same amount than if you hadn't donated a book at all. Does this makes sense? CAUSE IT DOESN'T TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

I haven't had the particular experience of trying to convince someone that, if they buy A REALLY CHEAP BOOK, they can perhaps save money and also donate to a worthy cause. My boss, however, has. And I've witnessed this travesty.

So, I punched out. Standing there, waiting for my boss to have a minute to ring up my stack o' books. This woman walks up and wants--no, demands--20% off her children's books. My boss explains the guidelines of the promotion. "But, I WANT both these books." (Yes, of couse you do, that's why you're trying to purchase them. You can donate another book, one that you don't want, dummy.) He doesn't say, "So use your ass to walk up the stairs and grab another one if you want the goddamn discount, ho," because he has self-restraint. It's waning, but he still has it (at least for the rest of this week). I finally see him actually walk away from this woman because she's so horrible in her selfishness. He rings me up. I pick up my bags and start walking away when the woman comes back to the register, yelling across the store, "Hey, honey, don't you have some discount? They need to give me it!"

I seriously RAN out of the store--the aftermath was not going to be pleasant. But I do not resist the urge the next day to say, "So, picture-book woman..." just to see my boss lose his mind again. Cause that? SOOOO fun.