For those interested in my book...

Abbey

Spork Queen
Two hours of writing at 5am...this is the latest installment. True story. (Remember, this is in VERY raw form.) Any suggestions are always very welcome.

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Ethel continues to taunt me. I can see out the front door where my little cart is stationed. I see her wheel up…no hat, but peek in to see if I’m there. If I’m there, she digs in her bag and dawns whatever the hat of the day is. She is quite creative. One day I put on a hat that we got in the store that had little blinking lights on the front of it. All she had was feathers. She looked at me, strolled by, then looked back with a glare.

The next day she came in with her daughter, who is also wheelchair bound. Ethel introduces us. Her daughter, Camia, says, “What are you doing to my mother??? She’s spending all her money on hats!!” I nearly died laughing. So, I did what any crazy demo person would do is traded hats, then put on some disco music for a little fun. They loved it. We even got the Starbucks people and a few checkers and baggers out there for a minute. My manager just shook her head. But, she knows that our fun brings back these people day by day hopefully bringing them a little happiness in their life and hopefully business. Long gone are the days of the ancient demo lady in a baker’s hat who just gives out food.

I may not be at my station 100% of the time. I don’t like saying, “It’s on aisle 3, top shelf, half way down, right hand side. I’d rather walk them there. The regulars have learned to say, “Let’s go for a walk.”

I have two customers that I have become their personal shopper by default of being the first person they see when they walk in the door. It’s starts with a simple request. “Where is the bread?” (They’ve only been shopping there for six years.) Come with me…I’ll show you. Ah, I need some tuna, too. Ok, let’s go. Now I need some toilet paper. Ok…this way.

After my arms are loaded with groceries, I have to once again show them how to use the self check-out station. I don’t really care. We had some great conversation along the way, and they’ll be back tomorrow with new stories that I’ll relish.

Bill’s neighbor came in today to question me having all the family and historical photos. I told him that I would certainly get them back to his family in a timely manner. I also said I was so sorry for his wife’s sudden death. Well, it seems that it didn’t just happen. Bill’s wife was killed four years ago, but for him it was just yesterday. He has no surviving family, just great neighborhood friends who watch over him, and the silly, caring people at my store who look forward to seeing him every day.

It’s been a couple months since I first met Aretha. Our conversations are generally very short, but pleasant. Today she came in waving, then did her usual Starbucks run, but this time she came back with two drinks. She says, “Stock up whatever you’re pushing today and come sit down.” It wasn’t a request. It was an order.

I’m sure my managers were initially suspicious when I’d sit down with a customer, but after time they seemed to like seeing happy customers who returned every day. And, they actually started buying groceries! It got to be a running joke with them that if they wanted to take me away from my station, they had to BUY something. And…they did.

I sat down with Aretha and had just general chit-chat. She said she’s feeling a bit better lately as she has finished her third round of chemotherapy. Not wanting to dwell on something so serious that occupies your mind all the time, I changed the subject. After all these months of daily chat, I didn’t know what she did for a living. Aretha is an investment broker and the path to get there was painful. But, she is one tough and determined woman.

“Well, I know what YOU do for a living!” Then laughs hysterically.

“Do you know I’m writing a book?” I replied.

“A book? A book about what?”

“My job.”

“You’re writing a book about being a demo lady? Who would read that?”

“Well, hopefully a few. You’re in the book, Aretha.”

“What?” She stands up and puts her hands on her hips and gives me this stern look. “Girl…what you writing about me?”

“Sit down Aretha. You’re making a scene.” Then I wink at her. Stubbornly, she sits down crossing her arms across her chest in that defensive manner. “Well, I don’t have much about you yet. I want your story.”

“I don’t have any story. I am who I am.”

“Everyone has a story. Even me. Would you be willing to tell me about your life?” She sat there in that pose silently staring me down for about a minute. “Tell me things like where you were born. You don’t have to tell me your age because I know you have too much attitude for that. What was it like growing up? What were your parents like? Do you have family? What brought you to Vegas? Things like that.”

“That’d be one damn boring story.”

“Eh…I have time on my hands. I’ll read a boring story.”

I get another full minute of staring.

“I will get you whatever you need. You can do it on computer, paper and pencil, recorder…anything. Maybe we could go to dinner one night and just chat.”

Now I’m in my third minute of staring.

“Hmph. I’ll think about it.” Then she gets up to walk away.

“See you tomorrow at 4pm, Aretha.”

“Damn. You are one nosey girl.” And she walks out the door.

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(Aretha's story IS very interesting, by the way.)

Abbey


 

mstang67chic

Going Green
I'm telling you....you need to get it polished and start shopping for an agent! (Did I ever give you that website that you can use to search for agents?)
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Abbey

You're making me want to be a Demo Lady.

I cannot wait to get my hands on this book. Seriously.

Mustang is right. You NEED an agent. A good one.
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
Cool....I'm laughing. She sounds like a riot. I got the perfect title for your book....

Ordinary People. (Obviously they are not, but they think they are and so does everyone else)
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
I like it ALL except for the toilet paper -

I am in the store, I'm walking with "a regular" - I chit chat, I get bread, I get tuna - and then to toilet paper ?

(needle across the 45 - ) visions went from walking to crapping in (snap) maybe you can get - Mayo or paper plates or ice cream - NOT TP.

I tell to you I am enthralled.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Very interesting! You are so productive. Way To Go.
Aretha sounds like a character. In fact, she could fill up Book #2, hats or no hats. :)
 

Abbey

Spork Queen
You wait until you read about Priscilla. She's a REAL peach. A few of us mapped out a very intricate plan to hopefully make her seem human. (Imagine high heels, business suit, walks and talks faster than the speed of light...that sort of person.) Won't tell you the ending to that...but it was fun.

(evil laughter)

Abbey
 

totoro

Mom? What's a difficult child?
You rock! I was reading and then came to the end... HUH? Where is the rest was my first thought!
Yes it left me wanting more. Very good.
 
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