Donna in Hollywoodland

Don't Ever Handle Cash

Today, I went and volunteered at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. My shift was to start at 3pm. So I got there about 1pm so I could walk around a bit first. I did not decide up until the very last minute if I would drive or take the bus. The #2 bus goes straight up Sunset, right to UCLA. But I had heard it might rain, so I didn't want to be stuck waiting for the bus in the rain. Which was a consideration since I had pneumonia just 4 months ago. But I need to get the breaks on my car done so it would be better to take the bus ... oh, never mind, I'll drive. It wouldn't have been so bad, except that it took me 3 parking lots on the UCLA campus before I found one that wasn't full. The cool weather made more people decide to go out and visit the bookfair. It was more crowded than I ever remember it being.

I met up with a another volunteer who was getting off her shift at 1 pm. We went and had lunch in the student union. Then she had a ticket to hear Sue Grafton speak.
I walked around alittle more. And I happened on Aaron McGruder , the creator of The Boondocks , who was speaking on one of the Main Stages. I stopped and listened just for a few minutes. It always amazes me when the general public has a chance to raise their hand and ask a question - some of the stuff they come up with.
A guy, who seemed somewhat anti-religion, asked the question "Why aren't you addressing the issue of the pedophilia Priests in the Catholic church? Why don't you introduce a character of a Priest in your comic strip and deal with that issue?"
The answer was basically, well, making fun of religion - especially in the Sunday paper - would most likely offend alot of people. Especially on a Sunday.

And he did say that they are working on a Boondocks TV show. And the Christmas shows are addressing "The Church of Santa Claus" and
talking about commercialism around the Holidays.
Now, that does sound interesting. I may catch it.

I walked around some more. Lots of cute Dogs . People bring their Dogs to a Bookfair - only in Los Angeles.
I start to miss the dog I used to have. So I try to think about my cuddly cat.

I stop in to a few of the book dealers. But I am really happy that I show restraint and I don't buy any books. Now that I use the Los Angeles Public Library so much, its nice to not have to spend money on books.
I love to read, and using the Library's online order system is perfect. Plus, if I start to read a book, and I hate it - I just stop reading it, I don't have to feel bad that I wasted money on a book I didn't like.
I think about buying some of the $5 books, from the $5 vendors. There are some nice hard-cover books for 5 bucks. But I talk myself out of it.
I thought about buying a bookfair Tshirt or Coffee mug. But I just didn't get around to it.

Somehow, I go too far, and end up in the Children's area. There is a show onstage with some weird looking costumed person singing a song where the lyrics don't make any sense. I try to figure out what the character means, and I just decide its a case of really bad song writing - even for a kid's song.

I start my shift over at the booth. My little "volunteer' badge goes on. And I got tired very quickly. In addition to selling donated used books at our booth, we were also selling Movie Posters . And we are the only place that is selling Movie Posters - and it
seems everyone wants one.
I get about 5 or 6 teeny-bopper kids who all want one right in a row. One boy wants the Star Wars . Another boy wants the Japanese Anime poster. Some little girls go crazy over the Without a Paddle posters.

Then for about an hour, I had to handle the cash while one of the other people took a break, and went to hear Alexander McCall Smith give a lecture.
I hated handling the cash.
I made a system. I write up the receipt. They hand me the Cash. I rip off the receipt. I get the change out. I hand them the receipt and the change together.
Very simple, huh ?

One man bought 5 posters. While he is over by the posters, he hands me a twenty. I rip out the receipt, and make his change. I have the receipt and the change in my hand. He is looking a books, looking at books, looking at books. He finally walks over and - hands me another twenty.
"Ah, ah, ah ... Sir... you just paid me."
"Did I ? Are you sure ?"
"Yeah, when you were over by the posters. Why else would I have your change and your receipt in my hand?"
"Are you really sure?"
"Well, yes... do you want to count the money in your pocket?"
"I don't know"
"Sir, I am sure you paid me while you were standing at the posters. Here's your change."
Ok... at least I am honest.

But then another situation. Some one bought a bunch of books. For all the books they bought, they got a free poster with their purchase.
Well, I made a mistake and told them they could have a poster that I didn't realize wasn't supposed to be given away free. That one had to be sold.
They bought the poster anyway. And they got a free poster for free.
I did the same thing when the person paid for their books. I gave them the change with the receipt. And off they went.

Five minutes later, they came back.
"You know you never gave me my change."
"But I gave you the receipt?"
"Yeah, but you forgot my change." They were very insistent.
And what could I do ? It was my word against theirs . No one else saw me give them their money. But I knew that I did. So I had to give them their change - again. They basically got their items for free.

Maybe, they made an honest mistake and just misplaced their change. Or maybe they were mad at me for saying they could have the poster for Free, and it turned out it wasn't one of the ones available for Free. Whatever, there is nothing I could do about it. I told someone in charge, and gave them the cash purse.
I didn't want to be handling the cash anymore.

Its funny how you can help 50 people - and then one person comes along, and just ruins your whole day.

And I did meet alot of interesting people. Its funny what people say when they are roaming about a book fair.
One lady saw one of the Posters, and said her Son had won an Emmy for writing it. Another woman told me her husband had worked with Nicolas Cage on Windtalkers . Then Leonard Maltin stopped by the booth and chatted for a bit, so I got to meet him.

By the end of the day it was getting chilly - but at least it didn't rain like the weather report said.
I really wanted some Kettle Corn - but all of the booths had to close down at 6 pm on the dot. So I didn't get my kettle corn. And I was pretty exhausted. But it was a very interesting day at the Festival of Books.