Retail is extremely unpredictable. I've only been in this for 4 years, but other folks along the avenue have been here longer, some over 25 years and they all tell me the same thing: "Just when you think you've got it figured out, it all changes!"
In a seaside town, cloudy or rainy days are GREAT days. Sometimes.
Today was a bit cooler and overcast all day. I was pretty sure I'd be busy all day, but I had a rush in the morning, a lull in the afternoon and then another rush in the late afternoon.
During one of my lulls, a woman rushes in and asks: "Do you have any flip flops?"
She was a bit unkept and both of her knees were bandaged. The bandage on her right knee was falling off revealing a nasty scab.
"No, I am sorry I don't." I answered.
"Oh, ok. Do you know where I can find some?"
I named a shop down the street that I know carries specialty flip flops, but she was looking for simple flip flops so I told her there was a dollar store down the street that I am sure carries them.
She picked up one of the handmade stuffed animals that one of my artists made and said: "Oh, he's cute! Do you have any stuffed cats? I'm into cats."
Hmmmmm...really? I never would have guessed.
Unfortunately I was out of the stuffed cats, but I showed her some other little "cat" items I have in the shop. She picked out one and then said: "I was an fine art major with a strong focus on art history."
"Oh wow, very nice!" I replied.
"Guess who my favorite artist is? I bet you can't guess."
Well gosh, how many artist have there been through the ages...yeah, you're right I probably can't guess.
"Picasso." I said.
"No...guess again! He's an amazing artist and heeeee's Flemish." She held her hands up and wiggled her fingers in my face.
Oh boy...this is fun.
"Van Eyck?" I guessed because it was the only Flemish painter I could remember.
"Ha, ha....NOPE!" She widened her eyes and flashed me a creepy smile. "It's Bruegel! I just love him and that painting "Hunters in the Snow" beautifully painted."
I was busy trying to recall my Art History that I took years ago and came up with nothing so I just nodded and smiled.
"Who is your favorite painter?" She asked me.
"Hieronymus Bosch." I answered.
"Ohhh..."The Garden of Earthly Delights", yeah, yeah that's a good one. You know what it's about don't you?"
"Sin!" I said back to her.
"That's right...and you can name them right? All of those sins." and she wiggled her fingers in front of my face again.
"Did you see that movie with Brad Pitt about sins?" She asked me.
"Yes." I said.
"You know what happens to the wife right."
"Yes, I know."
"That's what happens when you sin." and wiggled her fingers in my face yet again.
She pointed to her knees and said: "Do you know how this happened?"
I just shook my head because the guessing games were starting to get on my nerves.
"I was trying to cross a busy 4 lane highway and I ran and fell. One time it took me 30 minutes to cross that highway."
"Ouch!" I replied to her and thinking to myself please leave now.
"Yeah, hurt pretty bad but "The Fireman" in the car patched me up good." She pointed outside and I half expected to see a fireman.
"I brought my paints with me so I can paint the BIG MOON from the beach." and once again I got the finger wiggling.
"I don't think you'll see a moon tonight, it's a bit cloudy."
"Well next month is a big moon and then you know what happens in September right?"
Ugh...another freakin' question.
"The harvest moon right?" I asked.
"Right you are! It's gonna be really big too!"
I was spared the finger wiggling this time thank goodness.
"Well I better go, "The Fireman" is waiting for me out in the car and he gets very impatient."
"Ok...take care." I said.
After she went out the door I wiggled my fingers at her.
