The Dinette Set by Julie Larson for March 24, 2014

Words really escape me at this moment. Time to get physical.

OUT, Get Out Of My Store Now! There, now I feel better.Susan, re: yesterday, its a wonder we are sane, I’ll tell you about my mother someday…I had therapy.

Oooooooh, blood pressure rising……… I worked at a large corporate bookstore with an ampersand in the middle of the two names. Yesterday’s strip and today’s strip described a long-termed ‘customer’ who would not only snap fingers and/or whistle at the staff if he or another customer needed help whilst he was sitting in a comfy chair all day, but would also read the books for the entire day, then demand a discount because the book was dirty/ stained/ spine broken from his slovenly habits of spilling coffee or tea or food all over the books. We finally got rid of him after we caught him shoplifting St. Valentine’s Day chocolates offered as a promotion for buying $XX total of books. We were expected to be polite to all customers, but this one really took the cake. And the chocolates.

2old has it right. Get out, stay out and don’t come back.Although, are these really the Pennys? Reading? Or are they just there for the free hot chocolate? Maybe Burl thought the pages, being paper, were a different sort of napkin.

The caption should read……“What’s wrong with this picture”

The answer would be…….What is Burl and Joy doing in a library?

Just because the coffee and hot chocolate are self serve, they think it’s all free.Yup. Correct.That’s why they’re there…. And it’s not like they’re reading Proust, or Stephen Hawking.It’s a bookstore, not a library…so Joy is leafing through Cosmopolitan, collecting perfume samples….and Burl is reading (ie:ruining) a celebrity confessional “autobiography” (“As told to” someone who can spell.)

Don’t forget, Julie drew most of these panels 15 or 20 years ago, before the internet, “reality” TV, and other easy distractions.

The library only gets “highbrow” stuff (compared to the Pennys’ tastes) and makes you sign up for a card so they can trace you to collect damages. And they ban beverages…. and “shush” you.

You don’t have to get a card or buy a ticket to the bookstore, or pay anything to read the latest issue of “People.” And they have to be nice …..cos you’re a “customer.” Even if you never spend a dime.

MJC —

I think I know that guy…..the same one who tore the sleeve of a shirt trying it on and didn’t mention it?Or the one who came to the chocolate shop every single day for a sample, complained that he wanted something different…. and never bought anything?Or maybe the one who said “Snap to it, Sweetheart, or I’ll go someplace else” while I was carefully wrapping his hand-packed 2-lb gift box.

Nonetheless, if it was that Hallmark chocolates promotion back in the 90’s… yuck. They were so awful someone would have gotten what he deserved if he’d stolen mine

@2Old…..We’re sane ??!

These people put RUDE to shame!!

yea they think the “serve yourself” means it’s free… They stay till the carafe is empty then complain about it not being refilled. How can they take any home if they don’t refill it until the Penny’s leave?

I bet they learned their lesson well, CLOSE up the store when Joy and Burl walk by..

They should make Burl buy the book

Now, now, young transient book-store employee: Kindly represent your present company’s reputation for excellence with a cheery mix of “can do” and the “old college try”!! Fine Burl, here, has soiled both his present reading fare (self-serve….open 24 hours….uhhhhh-oooooohhh….) AND his 007 shirt in the same unfortunate mishap! Kindly replace his “Little Lotta” comic book and send said shirt to the nearest laundromat, PRONTO!! CHOP! CHOP!!!

Hey! It just occured to me: Joy looks like Little Lotta!!! Ha! HA!1 HA!!!

It sounds bad at first glance. And you’d think he would throw them out. But they buy such huge quantities of chocolate pastry that he can burn any books they touch and still turn a profit.

So this strip is 15 or 20 years old…I wondered about the “Hoarders” since Borders is out of business, Why are the empty stores still there? No attempt to sell/rent them and alto I imagine that issue is working its way thru the courts. Susan, I’m only sane on Thur.and Sun.

I guess I’m glad I never worked in any sales (except for 1 year making hot dogs and fries when daughter was in 1/2 day kindergarten). My boyfriend of 40 years talked me into joining Shakley with him way back, and I still use Basic H but neither of us ever sold stuff. I just went along with what he wanted.

I’d do the same with the new man, but he’s more interested in just pleasing me – totally a new thing for me. I have yet to find anything about him that’s not to love.

I have bought some books in those stores (and videos too). Last time I was in Chicago, the old BF wanted to use up one of his gift cards, so we bought some of the books and videos that were on my Amazon wish list. I put everything I want on there for a while before deciding to buy- lets me group things to save postage (and always get free delivery).

I don’t like the concept of food and drink in book stores and I’m always careful of all my books (except cook books – not a single one I like that is not well stained and burned). LOL

Opps… He spilled it on the center fold of…“Where’s Waldo”…! ! !

It’s people like this that give trailer-trash a bad name.