don't make this harder than it has to be...

So, it goes without saying that there are always going to be people who know more than you, and there're always going to be people who know less. That said, some people just don't try. Case in point:

Dude walks into the store eating a banana (now, this is just a pet peeve of mine, and many of you might not have the same reaction, but people eating bananas in stores really irks me). He stood in front of the cash, munching on his banana, and then asked me to throw out the peel for him. Pet peeve + pet peeve ≠ respect from me. So, as you can imagine, this dude was already on my bad side. After I tell him that he can come around to the other side and throw his banana peel out himself (I'm not about to touch a stranger's slimy, sticky banana peel - is it just me, or does that sound wrong?), he asks if I can look up a book for him. He doesn't know the title, but it's about Machiavelli and it's about "this thick" (he mimes about 6 inches between his thumb and forefinger). I know right there that we don't have it (based on the size) and he says "Are you sure, I saw it at the reference library." Then I say "Yeah, I'm sure. We have other things by Machiavelli in our Western Philosophy section," and I point to where he should look.

I watch him scan the shelves, and he comes back and says "I can't find anything." Now, I knew at this point that he was looking at the top shelf only and, with Machiavelli not being in the first few letters of the alphabet, I was confident that he didn't even give a good look. So I go over to the shelf and point out not one, not two, but four different editions of The Prince. He asks, "Why do all these different books have the same title?" So I explain the concept of different editions of classics. I tell him to pick the one he thinks looks nicest, or is easier to read, or is cheaper. And then he says "But I want something by Machiavelli, not about him," and he points to the cover that says:

Niccolo Macchiavelli

The Prince

Just stop and think for a second. Please. Take a moment to let common sense win the uphill battle against stupidity. Please. PLEASE!

Anyway, you get the gist.

In addition, I would like to say to all of you (although you are all smart and I'm sure you wouldn't do this...) but if you're looking for a book, and you ask the clerk about it, and they say "yes, we have it in the _________ section," don't go running off if you don't know the author. Bookstores file books alphabetically by AUTHOR.

I'm such a snob.