Inane conversation

I spent about 20-minutes this morning trying to find copies of a couple books that I’d like to read to JP’s class tomorrow. After first trying the two independent and local bookstores I started to call the big box stores. The conversation with a “bookseller” at Barnes and Noble had me wanting to bang my head against the wall:

Tonks: Hi, do you have a copy of “Diary of a Wombat” in stock?

Bookseller: Let me check. Do you spell ‘wombat’ with two t’s?

T: No, one.

BS: Okay. Hmm. I don’t see anything for “Diary of a Wombat”. Wait, let me try something else.

(sound of keyboard tapping)

BS: Are you sure it’s called “Diary of a Wombat?”

T: Yes.

BS: Weeelll (long pause) I don’t see anything by that title.

T: Okay, thanks.

BS: Wait, how do you spell ‘wombat’?

T: (repressing an annoyed sigh) W-O-M-B-A-T

BS: Oh, I was spelling it w-a-m-b-a-t (laughs).

T: (brief, polite laughter followed by silence)

BS: Here it is! Gosh, these computers are so picky.

And wouldn’t you know, they didn’t have it in stock.