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30 October 2008

Today at work, a nebbishy old guy came in, a short unassuming fellow who looked like he was somebody's grampa. He also stunk of gin at 11 am. He sold us some books, we rejected others. When we do that, you have the option of taking them back or leaving them for the dollar rack. he left them. Among them was a tiny tome entitled "State Of new York Department Of Corrections-Standards Of Inmate Behavior." →[More:]

From the first page, a 'I have recieved this, sign here' form, it looks like something that's handed out to prisoners. This one was unsigned, so I don't know where he got it. Among the things I learned: Self-mutilation is against regulations and sunglasses can only be worn outdoors. Just so you know.

post by: jonmc at: 19:45 | 12 comments

Can they wear their sunglasses at night?

posted by hellojed 30 October | 19:51

I'm very interested in the bookstore's criteria of accepting, or rejecting, a book.

posted by LoriFLA 30 October | 20:02

The usual: whether we have it already, how it's selling and condition. No periodicals, no textbooks, no book club editions.

posted by jonmc 30 October | 20:05

Definr doesn't have an entry for "nebbishy". but thanks for the tips.

posted by chewatadistance 30 October | 20:09

I googled for "book club edition" and why it's bad but mostly got confused.

posted by Firas 30 October | 20:14

First rule of the book club is you don't google about the book club

posted by qvantamon 30 October | 20:28

Nebbishy - shy, timid, unassuming (Yiddish)

Book club edition - cheap printing, little resale value (snobbish)

Heh. The inmate behaviour book sounds interesting, jon!

posted by goo 30 October | 20:51

I'd like to think my book collection would fare well at your input desk. At least 5 would end upon the third floor, by my reckoning. Since at least 100 came from there to begin with, they're proven sellers.

posted by StickyCarpet 30 October | 20:52

I hope you bought it, it sounds badass

posted by matteo 30 October | 21:14

I'll see your State Of new York Department Of Corrections-Standards Of Inmate Behavior and raise you a New York City Department of Education Official Code of Conduct. No sunglasses allowed at all, alas.

Course, I found out today that a former student of mine was arrested at SUNY Canton for his involvement in a gang stabbing of a student. So maybe I should add the Corrections pamphlet to my classroom library.

(I also have students at Stanford, NYU, Vassar, Fordham, Rochester, City Engineering, Hunter... This is the first orange jumpsuit I've had. He was a rather angry kid.)

posted by Pips 30 October | 21:27

I hope you bought it,

bought it? I just stuck it in my back pocket and took it home. As I had an after-work beer, I did wonder to myself: if I got hit by a car or killed in a mugging, would that pamphlet send the cops on a wild goosechase?

"See that thing in his pocket, Bob? We better look closer.."

Of course, whenever I eat I always imagine a coroner describing my last meal on a report. I'm kind of morbid.

posted by jonmc 30 October | 21:39

jonmc: My college roommate and I used to play that game in college all the time. (Usually while walking through a semi-shady part of town.)

posted by sperose 31 October | 02:53

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