Conversations With the Public

I have spent most of my life working with the public.  I have worked in large retail stores, at K-12 schools, at museums, at libraries, and even at colleges.  I enjoy working with the general public.  Afterall, you never know what's going to happen when you're working all day in a public space.  Inevitably, you will find yourself drawn into strange and often baffling conversations.  Here's an example from today:

A lovely woman decked out in some kind of matching pink track suit with a baseball cap that says "BLING!" in hot pink turned sideways on her head walks up to my desk.

Randon Woman (RW):  "Hey! Let me axe you a question.  Where'd you get your hair (pronounced 'har')?"

Me:  "Um...God?"

RW:  "Shoot! Dat's your real hair?  A'int no damn way dat's your real hair! Is dat your real hair, like for real?"

Me:  "Yes. This is my real hair."

RW:  "Damn! You gots long hair!"

Me: *blank stare*

Here's one more--just for fun.  This one occurred a few years ago when I was working as a customer service rep at a local bookstore.

Customer:  Excuse me, miss?  I need that book about that girl.

Me:  Can you give a little more information?

Customer:  It's required reading for school.

Me:  Do you know the title or the author's name?

Customer:  God. No.  Can't you just search for it?

Me:  What grade level is this book assigned for?

Customer:  Middle school.

Me:  Can you give me any other information?

Customer:  That chick in the book died. Oh! And she was a Jew.

Me:  Do you mean The Diary of Anne Frank?

Customer: *nods*


I have a million of these little stories.  Maybe I should post one a week.  What do you think?  Would you read them?  I think they're amusing.  You can't make this stuff up!