Cafda

Stories (by Michael Meiring)

I asked some of the volunteers to recall a few funny experiences with customers:

Peter Steyn

Peter Steyn recalled some of the strange people that have walked through the bookstores in years gone by. First, there was the chiseler, who always haggled the cashiers, trying to knock down the prices of books. Then there was the well spoken gentleman who was eventually caught changing the prices of the books with his pencil. I admit shock when hearing stories of this nature because the books in Cafda are so inexpensive (as the result of them being donated). I remember last year, at the Sea Point shop, an old lady asked me whether she could buy a 20c book for 10c instead because it had a bit of mould on it! (At Sea Point we have a box of damaged paperbacks selling for 20c). So I pointed her to another copy in better condition for R8. I can't remember if she bought that though!

Monica

As I'm busy writing down these stories, there's dear old Monica at the front desk asking a customer (very kindly, it must be noted), to turn the pages of the book he is browsing properly. Would you turn the pages of your books like that? she asks him very sweetly in demonstration. It reminds me of John, when I worked with him at Fawlty Towers, sorry, I mean at Sea Point, who once told a customer to stop whistling, saying,'Don't do that! It's a very bad habit.'