Today, customer comes over to info desk bearing title and author of a book she wants.

I go into TLU, find no listing, say, "No, we don't have that. In fact, it's a title that doesn't appear to be carried by any Borders store. I'll check to see if I could order that for you."

(I discover that it's something that will have to be entered into the ordering system on that funky screen that demands ISBN, title, author, publisher and price. I pull up the window to do that.)

As I'm doing so, I explain to the customer who has been standing right beside me watching what I'm doing the whole time,"Since this title doesn't appear in our regular listings, I'm entering the data to see how quickly we can get it for you."

(I get about halfway through the process when apparently the customer's braincells start functioning.)

Customer says, "You mean you don't have it here? I'm not from here, so I just wanted to know if you have it."

What I wanted to say, "Lady, I freakin' TOLD you at least 3 different ways that we don't have that book! You only NOW figured that out????"

Maybe I should just start saying something like, "Ma'am, look at my face and watch my lips closely as I speak veeeery sloooowly. WE...DON'T...HAVE...IT.
Got that much? Okay, now, ready for the next step?
I...CAN...OR...DER...IT...FOR...YOU."