For the first time in a long time, the new Magic set does not release on the first Friday of October. That means that I am in fact able to do something interesting, exciting, and possibly even reckless in celebration of my many years of growth.
But when I stop to think about what to do, I draw a complete blank. Have I in fact become one of those people who has only the game store for recreation? Horror!
Off to good old San Fran to do something stupid!
“It’s not illegal unless I use it for fraud. I’m too young to commit fraud.”
I started doing my best to greet all of the regulars to the store by name. This is more of a chore that it seems; we’ve got nigh on 300 subscribers, and probably 400-500 regular gamers of one sort or another. That’s a lot of names to remember, and I’m bad at that. Faces, I’m fine with. Names, not so much.
But It’s important. When someone gets greeted by name as they come into the store, they know that we aren’t just trying to get a sale out of them. And, despite what some may think of the way I do business, we aren’t just trying to get a sale out of them. This industry needs a community to function, now more than ever. Without a community, we don’t get to make sales. I’m not trying to say that we don’t want money, because that would be silly in addition to being false. But there is a certain ethic that I try to run the store with.
With the name comes the person. Forcing myself to remember names means that I incidentally pick up extra interests and such. I know that certain comic subscribers love mysteries, hate spandex, and (here’s my favorites) work at a bar and can get me in with no cover. I think that at least one of these incidentals is worth that extra work.
“What’s to DC to forge a Get Out Of Hell Free card?”
“You know, Arthur, this is a pretty awesome store. We’re gonna go back home and steal all of your ideas for ourselves.”
“Yeah, we’re totally gonna netdeck your store.”
And I begin my 15th day in a row of work… Dan was supposed to be back in by now, but he’s got an inner ear infection in both ears. I really want to be angry/frustrated/upset/grumpy, but I’ve had these infections before, and I know first hand how painful they really are. So I trudge, Sisyphean, once more to a pile of never ending tasks.
Anyone want to give me a massage?
I have family in Barcelona that I haven’t seen in years. I therefore must place top 16 at this event. I have decks I’m testing. I’ve decided on nothing yet. My three options so far are Mono-U pickles, Mono-G “Sligh”, and RW Blink Riders. I need further input and testing. If you can provide either of these, come by the store and you shall be richly rewarded.
Shoplifting bothers me. It shouldn’t, really. The overwhelming amount of knowledge about how a retail store runs forces one to accept that people simply take stuff without paying for it. Accounting sheets even have a spot for how much stock you lose to it, and acceptable percentages can run as high as (depending on the industry) 20%. 20%! That’s one in five items that simply walks out the door. Mind-boggling…
Part of the reason it bothers me so much is that I think of this store, more and more, as my store. When someone takes something, it bothers me it the same way as someone walking into my house, picking one of my books off my bookcase, and walking out with it. Very frustrating. (And I know this, unfortunately, from first-hand experience.)
I’m not saying that I don’t understand the appeal of it. Hell, I love free stuff. And I’ve had friends who’ve done very good jobs justifying theft from the corporate chain stores. I can understand taking something that you really want because you simply do not ahve enough money for it. Not sure I can condone it, but I can at least understand it.
But to steal a couple of $1 cards, after you’ve traded for over $20 with rares you have available, after you’ve been asked if you’re ready to be rung up, and after you’ve made a point of saying you decided not to buy them… That’s just ten kinds of tacky.
Having your buddy graffiti the toilet seat while you’re at it? Congratulation, sir! You have broken records with your superdickery.
California state law makes it very hard to do anything about shopliftng, ever. Before the person leaves, they technically haven’t stolen anything. After they leave, you are not allowed to detain them against their will, and the burden of proof is on you, the shopkeeper. This leaves one feeling impotent as one watches someone walk out without having paid, being unable to do anything about it.
Fortunately, I know that the gentlemen to whom I refer are going to be at the Grand Prix in San Jose next weekend. As will I. My revenge is yet undecided, but it will be sweet.
I’m open to suggestions.
“Will someone run this over to Seven for me?”
“What is it?”
“A box that got delivered here by mistake.”
“No, what’s in it?”
“Those things to go in the alcohol bottles at bars…”
“…Roofies?”
“Are you guys hiring?”
“No”
“Will you take our application?”
“Sure, but we’re not going to be hiring. Pretty much the only way to get a job here is to kill one of our current employees. Isn’t that right, Ian?”
“…Huh? What?”
“The only way to get a job here…?”
“Um…Shower?”
