Comic Shop Boot Camp

I am under the impression that Nancy got me this spot of side work to shut me up.

You see, I've subtly and, at times, not so subtly, asked about any job openings at the shop. There are none. Why would there be? Its at a comic shop, for crying out loud. But it doesn't hurt to ask, and to be known to ask. Or could it?

Hence why I think Nancy trying to shut me up.

The work at the storage facility is... exhausting isn't a tiring enough word, but it will have to do. We started at 9:00 am, and we weren't done until 6:00 pm. We were tossing long boxes of comics around for roughly 9 hours! The sheer volume of comics that we have to go through and sort was staggering. If I hadn't been to Comic Con, or had a comic book pack rat for an uncle, I would say its the most comic books I've seen in one location. But if it ain't in second place, then that would be madness in of itself.

And the temptation. Great googly moogly, THE TEMPTATION! Every minute there are at least four comic books that I haven't seen before. And of those four, there are two that look really cool. And of those two, there is a single issue that I would fight a bear for a chance to read it. And I can't read it. I CAN'T READ IT. Its like that sad episode of the Twilight Zone where all that dude wants to do it read, and then he goes and breaks his glasses. It was painful at times, I'll tell you what.

But painful isn't something you know till you've lifted over a hundred long boxes, each packed to the gills with the one thing you want to read in the world. Each weighing at least 30 pounds. My fingertips have been rubbed raw. My brain is fried. And my muscles' muscles are sore.

I feel accomplished.

It was a long, tiring day, but it was of special note. I know that much. The number of comics was built up over years and years. The amount of work that had to be done in two days was uncommon. (Not for the buyer, he does it a lot). But it was nice actually seeing the headway that was being made. The storage place had been packed, but as we worked, more and more of the boxes were being moved out to the truck. And not one person slacked off. It was good to be around people that you didn't have to worry about any of them just leaving the work for you to do.

My only regret is that I forgot to charge my iPod the night before, so half-way through the day, it died. Though I don't know if the music was annoying other people. I was just sad that I didn't have it to help finish off the last stretch.

I'm not scared of hard work. But what I went through was Comic Shop Boot Camp. And I made it out the other side stronger than before. I ain't some green, untrained recruit anymore. I've been through the wringer. I was in The S**t. I bled for my shop. I even have other soldiers I can talk to about what we've been through.

So I guess what I'm saying is: Nancy, are you hiring?

-Nate