Comics day...

I know I have brought this up numerous times, but for some reason these people flock to me. I never take lunch. Actually the only day of the week I take a lunch break is Wednesday. That's new comic book day. I happen to work next to a Newbury Comics, so I check out the comics there. It's a stupid hobby I know. I am almost 30 and I read comics. I am in the process of getting rid of junk comics I bought in my teens....space is an issue now, but I don't care. I love reading comics.

I just don't like talking about them. I HATE HATE HATE talking about them. I hate the stereotype of the comic book reader. I hate it because it is 99% correct. It is usually an unshaven virgin unbathed man who reads comics.

Newbury Comics hired such a man.

I saw the sign a few weeks ago wanting a guy with comic book knowledge. Part of me thought about applying just for the extra cash, but I really have no time with the kid the wife and the school thing. Plus it's retail.

So I quickly forgot about it.

Last week I go to see what new comics are in. This is Jay time. Jay time is almost extinct. Jay time used to be abundant. Jay time would consist of Saturdays all alone while the wife worked until 2 PM. Jay time would be Jay getting up around 10 am and getting a comics and then getting a large Dunkin' Donuts coffee and going home and reading comics.

Jay time was glorious.

Jay time is almost gone now. Saturdays Jay is up at 6 am because that is when the boy is up. Saturdays are now filled with Thomas the Tank Engine and the mall playground, followed by naptime and then out to the park with the boy and the dog.

I don't regret the loss of that. I love my son and I love spending time with him. I love spending time with my wife as well. I love my family.

I do miss Jay time though. I miss it because it would give me the chance to recharge. Sorry about this long diatribe, but there is a point here.

So Jay time has now become 12 until 12:30 PM on Wednesday afternoons.

Last week I was robbed of that time.

The comics guy they hired decided to talk me up. He spoke in a loud voice and recommended comics to me. Unfortunately he didn't know much and was making it up as he went along. That was annoying. At first I started correcting him, but then stopped realizing that it was making the conversation longer.

There is a point of salemanship when you ask the customer if they need help with anything. If customer says "No thank you.", then you leave them alone and say "Well let me know if you need anything." Leave it at that.

This dude wouldn't stop talking comics to me. My one word monosyllabic answers were not getting through to him. I was being polite (something I am working on) but at the same time I tried to put off the vibe that I knew what I wanted and didn't need to be sold.

After about 10 minutes he offers his hand and tells me he is their comic book guy. I shake his hand and say thanks.

Then he starts to hover. I am looking at books and he is right behind me staring. I just fucking left at that point.

It's nice that he is enthusiastic. That is great, but really back off. It just set me off. I really just wanted to be left alone, and look and see what new books came in. Instead I had to play nice with some guy who just couldn't take a hint.