What is it about this job...?

...Absolutely! It's the Customers who make this job -- that is, working in My Very Own Fabric Store -- seem more like a social activity than something I should be paid for doing (although I wouldn't mind getting paid a little more)!

It's the Customers who make me smile. Mostly it's the Little Old Lady Customers (although Little Old Men still occupy a very special place in my heart)...

...Like the Little Old Lady who wanted to get rid of some of her change because it made her purse so heavy. So, oblivious to the growing line of other Customers behind her, she fumbled with a small square box that fastened with a snap -- the kind that had probably once housed a lovely brooch -- and poured a pile of quarters, dimes and nickels onto the counter. Then, with fingers that were no longer completely functional, she proceeded to count out four dollars and eighty-five cents -- the exact amount of her purchase. Sweet. (But the Customers who really made me smile that day were the ones behind her who watched and waited patiently, showing not the slightest hint of annoyance!)

...Like the seventy-something twins. They lived in different towns, dressed differently and wore their hair differently. But you could tell they were twins. The finished each others' sentences, and giggled because they were so happy to be together in MVOFS.

...Like the Little Old Lady with the heavy accent -- one I did not recognize. She barely spoke English, yet when she needed my help in choosing thread and finding yarn, she was able to make me understand that she wanted the least expensive. She kept repeating "Small money for me." She pantomimed that she wanted "thread" to make a skirt (yarn)..."Small money for me." I think she also wanted needlepoint canvas, which we do not carry. She tried to describe it for me by making hand motions that looked like weaving a needle in and out of something, and kept repeating, "Square." (I think she told me she'll bring some in to show me. I'll be happy to see her again.)

But it's not only Little Old Ladies...and they don't only make me smile. Some of them inspire me...

...Like the Blind Lady. My first encounter with her was over the phone. I had no idea she was blind, but because she was so pleasant, I didn't make my usual judgment -- Heightened Sense of Self-Importance -- about Customers who call on the phone rather than come in to find something themselves. She described a yarn she had bought, giving me the brand and the color name. She said she needed two more skeins if we had it (which we did), and wondered if we could have it at the front desk so she could just run in and pick it up. When she came in later, she was being led by a beautiful black lab. I was impressed that she knew that she had paid me with a twenty-dollar bill. When I gave her change, she asked me to give her the five first...Ah-ha -- she had separate compartments!

The next time Blind Lady came in, she had her dog, of course, but she was also accompanied by a friend. Her friend said little. It was Blind Lady herself who let me know that she was trying to find some ribbon to go on a pillow she was making. She had a sample of fabric, and we had a large bin of ribbon on spools that were marked half off. She completely trusted me when I told her what I was showing her, and what I thought would look best on her pillow (although that could have been why she'd brought a friend). What amazed me was that as she felt a spool of ribbon that was coming unwound, she would wind it carefuly before she placed it back in the bin.

I had to leave them to their own devices for a while so I could tend to other Customers, but eventually they arrived at the cash register with several spools of ribbon. Blind Lady was very excited, telling me that she would like to spend an entire day looking at the ribbon. (Here her friend interjected that she'd have to compulsively straighten everything she touched.) She told me she loved to wrap presents, knowing how beautiful they looked, and that she'd love to find a job at Christmas time just wrapping presents for someone. (Hello -- She's blind!)

Of course there are Little Old Men Customers who make me smile, too...

...Like the Little Old Man who came to tell me that his wife had "bought this yesterday," and that there was a problem. He produced an empty zipper wrapper, pointing out that there had been only one zipper in it. I looked quizzically at him, hopefully indicating And your point is...? He said "Well, there are supposed to be two in it." He indicated where the package said "2 black." When I pointed out that "2" was the color number, and showed him other packages that said "26 red" and "1 white," he just burst out laughing. He said, "Well I guess I need another one then," and he chuckled to himself all the way out the door. I know he couldn't wait to get home and tell his wife about her mistake, but I'm sure he did it nicely.

...And like all of the Little Old Men who accompany their wives into MVOFS, either as chauffeurs, chaperons, pack mules...Whatever their function, they mostly follow their wives around quietly (having had years of experience at this sort of thing, I suppose), stating an opinion if asked, keeping quiet if not. And when they finally arrive at the cash register, most of them can't resist getting in a good-natured barb or two at the expense of their partners. (Who often "barb" right back.)

Yep -- it's the Customers who make me smile.

But the other day I had a Customer make me cry. Naturally it was a Little Old Man...

When it was his turn at the register, I said, "And how are you doing today?"

"Oh, I guess I'm gettin' along okay. I lost this beautiful lady here at the beginning of the month..." and he opened his wallet to show me a picture of his wife. When I looked at his face, it was all I could do not to weep -- I knew I wouldn't be able to speak without sobbing, so I just patted his hand. (He was buying upholstery fabric.)

Thank goodness the next customer was a Sassy Lady, who was able to make me laugh!