Michael C Bumsted

Hey #historians,
Lots of news coverage saying "King of England to pray with Pope for first time since Reformation", & the like. My co-workers & I cannot think of a time it every happened. Can anyone enlighten me?

My wife, who knows a little bit about #ultimatefrisbee has just suggested that a grand masters or great grandmaster team should be called "The Gen X-Men".

...at the city airport, to the customers local one 8 miles away, in a period of 12 days. A speed of 0.028 mph, .001 SLOWER than a garden gastropod. Talk about snail mail.

We had a book ordered by a customer in the southern US in late Dec. Book was supposed to arrive on Jan 4. It is now scheduled for delivery on Jan 21.

Both we & the customer were frustrated by the delays, which we could do very little about. Latest update showed it moved from one post office.../1

Pt 5
C: "Really?"

Me: "Really."

C: "How can I find out?"

M: "Well, finish the book I suppose."

C:...

M: "If you are still worried you could then reach out to (publisher). Sorry I have a shop full of people who actually buy books."

C: "Could you give me their number?"

M: No. Have a good day

Pt 4
Me: "Well, could it be a literary device? Could it be on purpose? Does the conclusion not resolve the issue?"

C: "I don't know, I stopped reading it because I got confused."

Me: "...what would you like me to do?"

C: "Can you check?"

Me: "Like ask the author?"

C: "Yes"

Me: "No"

cont.

Pt 3
Me: "Wrong, ma'am?"

She tries to explain.

Me: "So to review, you are calling to ask me whether the book you got from the library matches the rest of the thousands of printed versions of this Canadian bestseller, which you worry no one else has noticed has a repeated section?"

C: "Yes"
cont.

Pt 2

Caller then spends 3 minutes reading the page to me, then asks me to turn to page 185:

"Do you see where that passage repeats?"

Me: "Yes ma'am"

C: "So the version I got from the library matches the one you have there?"

Me: [jaw tightening] "Yes ma'am"

C: "Do you think it is wrong?"

Cont

Got a call at the shop today:

"Hi my name is (X), & I used to be a customer..."

(Always an endearing way to start)

"...has anyone reported anything odd about the new (famous Canadian authored mystery)?"

Me: "What do you mean by odd ma'am?"

Caller: "Could you look at page 179..."

Cont.

Man got upset with me today when I told him I could not sell him all three Hobbit novels. He was pissed that I refused sell him "Desolation of Smaug" & "Battle of Five Armies".

A friend suggested I just cut the book up. Book II - 20 pages, Book III - 43 pages. Think the customer would mind?

There are days when I forget how unserious a country Britain is. Then there are days when a book order comes in & it is for an address like: "The Old Rectory, The Hatch, Wanksworth", & I am reminded.

But also remember it is probably a Grade II listed building with medieval cedar out front & a moat.

Always happy to hear a customer enjoys a recommendation, particularly when it is made for a gift or to read to a kid.

How does one properly react when that a political customer name checks your shop in the 'paper during the election cycle? Even as progressive as I am, the other side shops here too

Holy shit #Canada, wasn't even gone a week, & I come back to this...?

If you think anti-LGBTQ+ protests are bad, but you vote for the parties the protestors support, you are empowering the hate-filled to behave this way. #nospaceforhate

I'll tell you what. There's adrenaline, then there is "Air Canada emails you in the middle of the night having rebooked you on a plane lands in Toronto 35 min after their once weekly flight to Edinburgh takes off" adrenaline.

sorted now, but positively resolved travel panic is a hell of a drug.