Good Friends

So I started at the shop about 5 years ago. Been ups and downs. I've quit comics 2 or 3 times out of frustration and overdosing. Hey when your surrounded by the damn things all the time and talk about very little else on a daily basis, you can totally burn out. Seen great comics, Criminal and DMZ come to mind. Dealt with stupid comics, I'm looking at you Final Crisis. Not to mention angry clients demanding to know where Civil War is (or Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk, All Star Batman, anything by Kevin Smith ect ect). But you know what really stands out for me? The friends I've made since working at the store.

Now not to be all sappy about this, but it's been great seeing the same people week in week out and getting to know them. From E who I get to talk UFC with whenever he comes by, or even J who I have quarter bets on fights with (who I'm also concerned about, been away 3 weeks and sent someone else for his books last week). There's A who amazingly always finds those hard to find items I'm looking for, and never lets me pay him back. It's these moments and people that make it all worth it (besides the paycheck).

I met two of my great friends through the store. T who I share a love of old time wrestling with. (Yes Wrestling, if you don't like it "suck it". HEHEHEHE see what I did there?) He drops by for weekly poker games my roomate and I host. Asks how I'm doing when he comes by for his books, and really actually cares enough to listen when I answer.

Not to play favorites (though that's kind of what I'm doing) then there is my buddy JD. He's been going to the store longer than I've been around. He's unable to tell you the names of any of my predacessors cause there was so much turn over. I remember he used to have fliers for his webcomic at the store. I checked it out and emailed about how much I liked it. We talked a bunch until he started to invite me over. (It's now a weekly thing, his wife gets to roll her eyes at our crazy weekend, I'm very grateful she feeds me ever week to). He's been there for me through most of my hard times, when I was working 80 hour weeks (I had to take on a second job for awhile). Plus the worst time of my life, he and his wife where 2 of the most supportive people I had. I take care of their cats when they're away, and am always helping out with their daughters' school fund raisers (wait a minute, you're fleecing me aren't you?)

So all that to say (rather sappily) some times the store is like an episode of Cheers, a place where everyone knows your name.