Okay, I'm done opening my doors to people. Done. I've been an idiot. OH, you're absolutely right and I'm sorry. I just had one of the strangest encounters with a person and that would have held true even without the social distancing and virus implications.

Older man came up to the door and was looking through. I did what I'm NOT doing anymore and opened up the door to speak with him and he kinda of just started walking towards me and I said "Okay, well, I guess we can talk for a second in here, please don't touch anything for your own safety." and he didn't really respond so I went behind the counter and looked at him and said "Well we're not open right now but are you looking to sell anything because we can talk about that for a minute." He said that he was looking to sell and I asked him what he was looking to sell and he pretty much...did...nothing.

He stood there, staring at me, periodically doing that lip smacking thing that people do when they're thinking or bored, for three straight minutes. Think of how long three minutes is with somebody apparently "thinking" of what they had to sell me. I just started naming things.

Do you have....books? CDs? Records? DVDs? Comics? Maps? Cassettes? 8-Tracks?

Nothing but lip smacking

"Uhhhhhh I'm trying to help here man. VHS tapes? Receivers? Turntables? Speakers?"

Nothing.

I actually just stopped talking and let him think and he continued to do so before going...

"What were before paperbacks?"

I didn't understand what he meant and he didn't know any other way to explain it to me so I just shrugged and told him that maybe he can think it over and call the shop because he really isn't supposed to be in here. He finally goes "Tarzan and Jane." and I said "You mean pulp novels?" and he said "YES!" and I said "Yeah, sure, my partner buys those occasionally but he's not here so why don't you write your name down and we'll call you." I ask him how many he has and he says "ohhhhhhhhhhh about.........half......a dozen." and I said "Six? You have six books?" and he says "Yeah like a few hundred." and I just said "Why don't you just speak with my partner about this".

He writes his name down, barely says another word, then PICKS MY CAR KEYS UP OFF THE COUNTER AND PUTS THEM IN HIS POCKET.

"Uhhhhh, those are my carkeys."

He just takes them out and shrugs and puts them on the counter then starts walking over to the display racks and by this time I had enough and told him "Sir, we're not open. Do not touch anything. I'm sorry but I'm taking this seriously. You're gunna have to leave now but we'll call you."

He goes "Seriously? I can't shop?"

I said "Absolutely not. Please, we'll call you. Thanks." and gestured towards the door.

Then he left and I just finished sanitizing everything he touched including drenching my car keys in hand sanitizer.

I'm done. I'm locking the door and talking through the glass.

Poor dude was lonely. Shoulda offered him an egg or something.

I would've hung up black curtains in the windows, kept the door locked, and put a "Closed Due to Coronavirus" sign on the door a couple of weeks ago.

And if anyone knocked at the door they would be ignored.

There are signs but we're still buying collections safely and people just show up a lot of the time so I have to at least try to intercept.

Exo

What I don’t get is... we both grew up in cities, right?

How the **** could you not see that coming? I actually can’t believe that ended up as well as it did after he took your keys. And your keys were just laying out where he could grab them? Keys wallet phone... anything that’s only yours should always be in your hand or pocket. I swear to God I can’t believe you live in ****ing Newark. No ****, if someone knocks on my door I get my gun before I look out the peephole. And with this **** going on. Goddamn.

Church

Albert Ayler records aren’t worth anything to a dead man.

Dude, you just don't get it. I NEED Ayler records.

I grew up in Passiac County, NJ, which is where my shop is. It's suburban. I live in Essex county, three miles away from Newark in Montclair, also suburban. I'm not really a street rat but I have some experience.

I guess you are who you are. God knows I couldn’t have done that abandoned house job you did. I’d have legit PTSD from that. Although I did explore abandoned buildings and **** when I was in high school and college, but WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS. I can’t believe you did that job unarmed and alone. The police wouldn’t even think of doing that ****.