A story that must be told

Every Christmas season makes me think of one of my former bookstore managers. I had it in my mind to tell the story, but I've been procrastinating about this for a couple of weeks. I'm glad I did because Julie told the story for me (probably better than I would have).

Before you skedaddle to her place and read, let me say that the Christmas that Julie and I worked at the bookstore together was probably the funnest -- yeah, that's a word -- retail Christmas I've ever worked. Juxtapose that with the crazy manager and work was a love/hate thing.

I was a peon the first year that he had his Christmas breakdown. The second year, Julie had run off to a bigger, better, Jay-free place, and I was in Julie's third-key position. And pregnant.

Looking back on it now, I can laugh, but at the time he was just a source of frustration and annoyance. And just thinking about him made my blood pressure rise.

But, you know, it made me realize that some people just aren't cut out for retail.