Spirit Halloween Superstore, how may I help you?

If you call the Davenport Spirit Halloween store, you will hear that on the other end of the line--and you might just be talking to me! Yep, I got a part-time job at the local Halloween shop. And it's not just any run of the mill spooky store--it is the area's craziest and biggest Halloween store! For a part-time job, it's pretty sweet. I mean, I am the cemetery grrrl after all.

It all started when I was kicking around the idea of getting a part-time job for the holiday season. With the ridiculous gas prices (which are completely uncalled for and unnecessary, thank you, Mr. Bush and evil corporate cronies), a new car and the holidays coming up, times are tight. On top of that, I've got a book and magazine to promote! That takes time and money, my friends. I've got to save money up for the book tour, you know. A self publisher is far from rich! (at least for now ;-)

So I happen upon the listing for the Spirit store. How perfect! It's only through Nov. 1, and it's HALLOWEEN! Perfect. This way I can decide if part-time on top of full-time on top of book and magazine will work for me, and it's only for a month. And it's HALLOWEEN! And I love it. What a sweet job! I get to be in a huge store chock full of Halloween craziness. It's perfect! I get to help people, who are mostly very nice. And I also get to fully appreciate the proper upbringing I got from my parents. Because, let me tell you, there are some kids who are obnoxious. But worse than that is the fact that THEIR PARENTS are worse than they are! First of all, the kids act like they were raised by psychotic wolves (because I honestly think wolves could have done a much better job of raising decent kids). Tossing things around. Putting mask after mask on. Tossing them aside. Licking them.

Important aside: I highly recommend to my intelligent readers that you DO NOT ever buy a mask at a store unless you have the intent of Lysoling the hell out of it once you get that sucker home. You can't imagine how many people try those things on EVERY DAY. Cootie central. Better yet, go to www.spirithalloweenstore.com and order one off of the site. A brand new one. It will be worth it.

Back to the losers that come into the store. While I don't mind straightening up--because things just get messy--there is a big difference between normal messiness and people who are just a**holes. You know what I'm talking about. And don't get me started about the people lifting costumes or other items. Yes, the costumes and such can be pretty pricey. But that's life. And if you are stealing items, you're making the prices shoot up that much higher. It's like our gas prices ... thieves are in charge of the oil, and it is the thieves that price the gas ridiculously high. Long story short: don't steal, freaks!

But aside from the random idiots of the area, work at the Halloween store is sweet. And they pay me to do it! I get to help people find wacky items. People are usually in a good mood, as they're looking for costumes and props and stuff for an upcoming good time.

Another word to the wise. No matter where you go, it's pretty much the given rule that if it's a Halloween item, there are no returns. That's just the way of the holiday world. People are all about returning something they wore to a party "but didn't get dirty." Not everyone, mind you, but enough to make this rule a rule. We're not the only store that does this by a long shot.

Anyway, though my feet are tired (three day in a row of long shifts on my feet, and I'm a sore footed wuss! Desk jobs will kill ya!), it was a fun day. Right as we were closing, I got a call from a woman who wanted a costume in a plus size. I went over and found a couple for her and described them. What do they come with? How big are they? I tell her and tell her the size suggestions, etc. Can you take them out and see how big they really are? Will they fill a person of such and such size? I was on the phone a good 10 minutes with her. I thought she was going to have me try it on to see if it would fit HER! Geez, lady, I don't know what you even look like! She was very nice, though, and appreciated the help I gave her. No problem. I'm here to help.

Well, I'm also here to see my beloved husband, who is dozing on the couch. His band played for a kids Halloween program today. With my new evening and weekend schedule at Spirit and his evening and day hours and Saturday hours at the museum, we don't see each other nearly as much as we're used to. We miss each other! So I'm going to snuggle up with him and watch a scary movie and drink some hot cocoa. Sounds like a perfect night to me.

Cheers!
Minda

www.TheCemeteryClub.com

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