Two days before Valentine's Day, while preparing dinner, I received a phone call from a phone number I didn't recognize. Must be a customer, I figured, so I left the soup simmering on the stove and answered. "Hello, how may I help you?" The woman on the other end of the line asked, "Is this OldCornerBooks.com?" After being assured it was, she asked, "Do you have The International Handbook of Jockstraps?"
I'm sorry? (I said, certain that I had misunderstood.) She repeated, "Do you have the book The International Handbook of Jockstraps?' Thinking that this was a crank phone call, I asked, "Oh, is this for a Valentine's Day present?" She laughed and said, "That would be a great idea! But no, it's for a birthday present for my friend. He's a urologist and he's going to be 70 years old!"
I assumed that I did not have the book; after all, wouldn't I remember such a title had I entered it into my database? But then again, I do have 30,000 books online at OldCornerBooks.com, so giving my customer the benefit of the doubt (I always do), and being a polite and helpful entrepreneur (without fail), I answered, "Let me check; if I don't have the book, perhaps I could find a copy for you." And wasn't I surprised when I checked my database, to find that I did, in fact, have in stock The International Handbook of Jockstraps, but having listed it 10 years ago, I had not remembered the title. My customer was thrilled. She said, "Oh, you must read it before you send it to me. . ." Now I was really getting suspicious -- was this or was this not a crank phone call? Only time will tell, I said to myself. Today I'll go to my warehouse, find the book (if it does, indeed, exist), and get back to my customer, WITHOUT reading the book first!
It does exist after all, and significantly this book was written by 'X' and published by 'Group X' in 1975. Here, just to prove that it exists, are the photos of the front and back covers.
I shipped the book in a plain brown envelope, but I'm sure my customer, the gift giver (who couldn't stop laughing as she gave me her shipping information and remembered the book), wrapped it prettily for the lucky urologist who will receive as a birthday gift this humorous, satirical paperback from the 1970's.
That's very funny. Who would have guessed that such a thing existed!
ReplyDeletewhat a funny story!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe (a)that such a book exists, and (b)that you would have it, and (c) not remember it! I am sure your customer is totally delighted - as am I by the tale alone.
Do you have another copy? How Much??
ReplyDelete@Anonymous Yes. $24 plus $4 s&h.
ReplyDelete