I'm back, sorry my guest writer bailed on my for last week's "BSC" Sunday post. Thanks Brande, not! This "BSC" Sunday was so ever special. We also had all the streets in Old Towne Orange closed for the annual Orange Rotary Car Show. This "is" supposed to be for charity which I think is awesome, but none the less, it doesn't make doing business any easier when the streets surrounding your store are closed and customers are pissed off because they actually, are you ready for this, had to WALK!
And before I go any further, please note that Brande took a couple of pictures with my ever so special handicapped camera and then came back yesterday and told me that my camera sucked. Then the battery died! And I looked at her and said, "duh, you think it sucks, I KNOW it sucks"! I try to be easy going on a day like yesterday. You come to open the store, the car dudes have their chairs and beer coolers blocking your front door, etc. But I do have to say they were cool about moving, but none the less it is a struggle. They have some really cool cars, which periodically during the day, a male owner of said cool cars is encouraged to turn on said car and rev up the engine as loud as they can go. No problem "dude", I will ask my customer that is begging to use my bathroom because they are going to pee their pants, right there, in my store, to just "hold on just a second". The City provided nice portables for the public but somehow the "special customers", well, they just couldn't "go there". Ours was closed for the day, with a note on the bathroom door and front door that I wrote. It said, "sorry, due to customer abuse of our bathroom it is closed for the day". So even though people have read the "sign", they stand in front of you either squeezing their legs together, doing the pee-pee dance, asking where you go to the bathroom (please), or begging to use yours anyway. Nope, I was NOT handing out that bright blue letter "B" key today!! And it was so nice not to have to repeat "bathroom directions" a hundred times a day!
The day was a mixture of "pee-pee dancers" along with some really nice customers, to Brande scoring this awesome bike for $75! Hidea, you rock! Not too long into the day, IT happened. We have some very exceptional special customers. It's like you glance up and just say, "shit"! Then your strategy is to pass them off to one of your unexpecting co-workers. And when THAT happens, they say, "shit"! The first one that came in is draining. Brande had never worked with her before and said, "no, I think she is disabled, her hands shake". I said, "no" but knock yourself out to help her. It wasn't long before Brande knew what I meant. Then, I swear, within 30 minutes I look up and one of our other "special" customers came through the door. You can always identify her, she is the one with the black rain cloud over her head!! I knew we were screwed. This ONE will stay, and stay and the ONLY thing she ever, ever talks about is how bad she feels, how bad and awful her husband is, and about how awful life is and on, and on she goes. She is the poster child for www.my lifesucks.com!!! By then, let me tell you we were on a roll!
We had a customer that spent over a half an hour trying to decide which doily she should buy. Seriously, if you give a doily that much thought, how do you get through the rest of your day? Of course we had the usual customers that tried to convince us they wanted the stuff they picked out for free, or it should be cheaper because it looks "old and used", you know, maybe as in vintage! On and on it went. It was a never ending day. I looked at the little bus across the street from us, pictured above that was all decked out. Did I see a bar in the back of it? And I was waaaaaay ready to board the "Over the Hill Gang" bus, as long as it would just get me the hell out of Country Roads and Old Towne Orange!
And then you will never, ever believe what happened. It was like the clouds parted and an angel walked through our "door" and she came up to the counter to see me with a brown bag in hand. She smiled and said, "here"! I touched the bag, I felt the bag, I hugged the bag because I knew what was inside! My angel has a name, Sandy Kiwana. I'm hoping I spelled her name right. She brought me six, cold Coronas! Sandy has been a customer from the early days, as in when we first opened. She follows our "BSC" Sunday posts. I've got to tell you, I think that is the best gift I have ever, ever received on a "BSC" Sunday!! Seriously, you rock Sandy and thank you so very much. You made my day. It is nice to be appreciated by our customers, they are the best. So, with all that said, it's Monday and I have a whole new week ahead. Oh wait, Monday, damn, I have to go back to "the store" today! Let's hope for mellowness! And again, thank you Sandy!
I'm back, sorry my guest writer bailed on my for last week's "BSC" Sunday post. Thanks Brande, not! This "BSC" Sunday was so ever special. We also had all the streets in Old Towne Orange closed for the annual Orange Rotary Car Show. This "is" supposed to be for charity which I think is awesome, but none the less, it doesn't make doing business any easier when the streets surrounding your store are closed and customers are pissed off because they actually, are you ready for this, had to WALK!
And before I go any further, please note that Brande took a couple of pictures with my ever so special handicapped camera and then came back yesterday and told me that my camera sucked. Then the battery died! And I looked at her and said, "duh, you think it sucks, I KNOW it sucks"! I try to be easy going on a day like yesterday. You come to open the store, the car dudes have their chairs and beer coolers blocking your front door, etc. But I do have to say they were cool about moving, but none the less it is a struggle. They have some really cool cars, which periodically during the day, a male owner of said cool cars is encouraged to turn on said car and rev up the engine as loud as they can go. No problem "dude", I will ask my customer that is begging to use my bathroom because they are going to pee their pants, right there, in my store, to just "hold on just a second". The City provided nice portables for the public but somehow the "special customers", well, they just couldn't "go there". Ours was closed for the day, with a note on the bathroom door and front door that I wrote. It said, "sorry, due to customer abuse of our bathroom it is closed for the day". So even though people have read the "sign", they stand in front of you either squeezing their legs together, doing the pee-pee dance, asking where you go to the bathroom (please), or begging to use yours anyway. Nope, I was NOT handing out that bright blue letter "B" key today!! And it was so nice not to have to repeat "bathroom directions" a hundred times a day!
The day was a mixture of "pee-pee dancers" along with some really nice customers, to Brande scoring this awesome bike for $75! Hidea, you rock! Not too long into the day, IT happened. We have some very exceptional special customers. It's like you glance up and just say, "shit"! Then your strategy is to pass them off to one of your unexpecting co-workers. And when THAT happens, they say, "shit"! The first one that came in is draining. Brande had never worked with her before and said, "no, I think she is disabled, her hands shake". I said, "no" but knock yourself out to help her. It wasn't long before Brande knew what I meant. Then, I swear, within 30 minutes I look up and one of our other "special" customers came through the door. You can always identify her, she is the one with the black rain cloud over her head!! I knew we were screwed. This ONE will stay, and stay and the ONLY thing she ever, ever talks about is how bad she feels, how bad and awful her husband is, and about how awful life is and on, and on she goes. She is the poster child for www.my lifesucks.com!!! By then, let me tell you we were on a roll!
We had a customer that spent over a half an hour trying to decide which doily she should buy. Seriously, if you give a doily that much thought, how do you get through the rest of your day? Of course we had the usual customers that tried to convince us they wanted the stuff they picked out for free, or it should be cheaper because it looks "old and used", you know, maybe as in vintage! On and on it went. It was a never ending day. I looked at the little bus across the street from us, pictured above that was all decked out. Did I see a bar in the back of it? And I was waaaaaay ready to board the "Over the Hill Gang" bus, as long as it would just get me the hell out of Country Roads and Old Towne Orange! 
And then you will never, ever believe what happened. It was like the clouds parted and an angel walked through our "door" and she came up to the counter to see me with a brown bag in hand. She smiled and said, "here"! I touched the bag, I felt the bag, I hugged the bag because I knew what was inside! My angel has a name, Sandy Kiwana. I'm hoping I spelled her name right. She brought me six, cold Coronas! Sandy has been a customer from the early days, as in when we first opened. She follows our "BSC" Sunday posts. I've got to tell you, I think that is the best gift I have ever, ever received on a "BSC" Sunday!! Seriously, you rock Sandy and thank you so very much. You made my day. It is nice to be appreciated by our customers, they are the best. So, with all that said, it's Monday and I have a whole new week ahead. Oh wait, Monday, damn, I have to go back to "the store" today! Let's hope for mellowness! And again, thank you Sandy!
2 comments:
sue: i laughed and laughed over the "dollie" incident. such a life-altering decision!
Sandy is a keeper! How nice to have loyal customers who make your beer runs! Woo Hoo, Sandy!
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