Bookstore Part 1

Last I worked at my "bookstore" job, was last Thursday, August 13th 2009. And I was doing the usual thing called "RPL's". Btw I finally found out (by asking) what RPL stands for. Please NOTE: RPL stands for "Return Pull List"

I was working with my great friend Deane' and we both worked the same shift 5pm till 12am. With just one day left we both hurried through our list but realized the problem was KIDS. The kids list I have decided is the worst section to pull. The reason is although the list seems so "organized" it is not. Instead you have to go to one section, hope its by either author or subject or just do what we did. Which was spend 3 hrs doing 1 page. Thats not good. The rule except in cases (like this) is aim for 1 page in 30 mint.

Why the delay? Well it was 2 things. It was hard finding one book when there was so many places it could be. While Deane' did the ones on the "spinner racks" (if you ever seen a kids book its those paper back books shaped like squares that have lots of pictures but more words too!)
and also on the "I can read" books (the one for levels 1 to 6 that kids use to learn to read going up as they get better!). I was in the other section, the non-fiction section. My biggest problem was that I was doing the game/drawing/cooking area. Though the list was maybe 20 books (or a few doubles) some were odd shapped and I had to take almost a half hour to just find where the book was located! Others werent where they should be, nothing in order, and some bks just all over the place. The section persay was just a huge mess and gave me a huge headache.

I almost welcomed the distraction of customers. It was annoying cause we were supposed to be working...but at the same time even a 15 mint chance to step away from the same task was a refreshing ordeal. Except when I had JUST gotten back into the section. Then it was just plain annoying.

It would go something like this "can I help you?" or I would be just standing there, headphones on, nametag on, and someone would come up to me "do you work here?" I will never get that question! I have worked in retail for like 8yrs and never once gotten why when you are CLEARLY wearing a tag and other things and doing stuff that looked like "work" that they ask that. I could go on...but I shall not.

Or the phone would ring. I had to check two orders, help out with two other bks. Time wasnt on our side. When Deane' and my break rolled around at 8pm we still hadnt left the pages we had started on. My luck was clearly better then Deane' but still we went to dinner knowing we would be stuck in Kids for another hour or more after break.

Dinner was Wendy's we already had that. Back on the floor, the store closed AT LAST so the only thing was silence. Our supervisor "B" asked if we wanted music, we said "nah!" and the reason was it was hard to think. I have A.D.D. and music distracts me more then anything else cause I love it so much. So instead we welcomed the silence.

I was sad by a fact that night. Melody my sister who also works here sometimes, could have come in and worked at least 9 to 12. With plenty of RPL's and a call out, the hours shouldnt have been a problem. They shouldnt have been a problem ALL WEEK LONG since when we do RPL's they manage to find the "magical hours" that werent there before just so we can go and do them and get them done. Instead Mel had to kill time outside the store, and me and Deane' slaved away best we could.

Stuck in kids...we were there for 2 more hours getting done just before 11pm. At last we were about to start movies, with an hour to go, when we happened upon another kids list. I dont get where it came from! But this time while Deane' started the dvds and bluerays I did the almost 2 page list in record time, and still had time to find my set of 1 page of kids dvd's. I found most everything with much success.

No we didnt turn into pumpkins, haha.

As we had to leave at 12am I finished my list, mostly. Deane' still had something to do...but time to go. And go we went.

Pondering when I will work again. Why wont they ever put me back on register. I dont have hours next week, not even a single day. Sad I didnt get to say good bye to one of our favorite managers "C" who is moving to West End...on Sunday. We had so much in common he being from California and lived in New York. We from California and want to live in New York. And his odd sense of humor.

So I dont get to say good bye in person I shall here. Good bye "C" hope you like it there and we shall miss you all miss you here.

Hope Julian gets his birthday card...Mel worked hard to pick it out and pop it on the bulletin board. Not knowing if he shall on Sunday. Hum.

Thats all for now...this is Holly in adventure retail land saying good day and night.