A former US president is coming to my store to sign tonight (I won't be there; I was there when he signed at my old bookstore a few years back so I don't feel I am missing much.
I worked 3 hours this morning while the son was at preschool and was run ragged. The phone rang off the hook with people inquiring about getting tickets to meet him (available with the purchase of his new book). One guy cried when I told him we were out, but most people were cool with it, if disappointed.
The thing is, the book/tickets have been on sale for 2 months...we just ran out of tickets yesterday. But the local news programs decided to publicize this event THIS MORNING. So lots of sad people (although our regular customers who come into the store a lot saw the ads in store and knew what was up, so they got their books in time...just saying, non-customers...).
The Secret Service is shutting down the entire second floor, where the former president will be installed, including the employee breakroom, after 5 pm. So the poor workers get to stand in the undoubtedly long lines for the cafe bathrooms. We are expecting 1,000 people at this thing.
I remember at the old store they cleared out about half the store so the former president had a certain cleared space around him at all times. They hustled him through the secret service tunnels and passed through the breakroom (where I was chilling- for some reason at that time we were allowed to stay in it!). We smiled and exchanged greetings. That is the extent of my involvement with the former president.
The funny thing is, I am 35 years old and have no memory of his presidency but according to my parents and older co-workers he wasn't a popular president. Since then he's somehow become a diplomatic guru and many people's hero.
Since it's April 1st it would be funny if everyone came to the signing tonight and at the last minute the Secret Service came out and said, "April Fool!".
But I think my co-workers who are on tonight wouldn't agree.
I worked 3 hours this morning while the son was at preschool and was run ragged. The phone rang off the hook with people inquiring about getting tickets to meet him (available with the purchase of his new book). One guy cried when I told him we were out, but most people were cool with it, if disappointed.
The thing is, the book/tickets have been on sale for 2 months...we just ran out of tickets yesterday. But the local news programs decided to publicize this event THIS MORNING. So lots of sad people (although our regular customers who come into the store a lot saw the ads in store and knew what was up, so they got their books in time...just saying, non-customers...).
The Secret Service is shutting down the entire second floor, where the former president will be installed, including the employee breakroom, after 5 pm. So the poor workers get to stand in the undoubtedly long lines for the cafe bathrooms. We are expecting 1,000 people at this thing.
I remember at the old store they cleared out about half the store so the former president had a certain cleared space around him at all times. They hustled him through the secret service tunnels and passed through the breakroom (where I was chilling- for some reason at that time we were allowed to stay in it!). We smiled and exchanged greetings. That is the extent of my involvement with the former president.
The funny thing is, I am 35 years old and have no memory of his presidency but according to my parents and older co-workers he wasn't a popular president. Since then he's somehow become a diplomatic guru and many people's hero.
Since it's April 1st it would be funny if everyone came to the signing tonight and at the last minute the Secret Service came out and said, "April Fool!".
But I think my co-workers who are on tonight wouldn't agree.
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