my quality time with the prez yesterday

i had to work all day yesterday because i had to switch days with my manager. well, i'm going about my normal papery business, not suspecting anything out of the ordinary. when all of a sudden, who should walk in but the very reverend president and professor iain torrance. thinking about a recent post about being 'star struck' when you encounter celebrities/important people, i did mental gymnastics thinking what i should say to him. and i knew i was going to be the one helping him mostly because i wanted to and because my co-workers were otherwise occupied. i just hoped i knew the answers to what he wanted to know and that i would be able to hear him ask his questions!

actually, i did have an inkling as to why he was in my store. our dear president is a collector of mont blanc fine writing instruments and had been in the papery earlier this year to buy one. he also requested that we order some ink for him. he left a return address label with his info ... that's how i knew he was the very reverend. and, when i saw that in january, that's how my co-workers knew that i am a bit in awe of the prez. and quite jealous that i wasn't there when he came in before. even more pressure now, because i finally have my chance! mostly i don't want to look stupid.

so, he comes up to the counter and begins to tell a story about how he was here before and what he wanted. except, i don't think he knew exactly how to explain it and he was kind of fumbling for words. so, i said you were here before to buy a mont blanc pen. and he looks at me with this awed expression. yes! things are going well! then he says, that i have a good memory or something to that effect but he seems a bit perplexed because i'm pretty sure he knew i wasn't the one that helped him before. so now, my turn to fumble with what what to say. i started to say "you're my president" then i thought that wasn't the best phrase and tripped over words until i finally got out "i go to the seminary". ahh, he's interested now. and asks me my name and if he's ever met me before. now, how do i do this tactfully. yes, i have met him before. at least three times with a name introduction. but i don't want him to feel bad so i cover by saying that i think we have but it was quite in passing so it's not a surprise if he didn't remember me.

so now to the real business, he wants his ink that he requested in january. so i go look for it and we don't have it. and i have to ask the other employees and they say it's not here and probably the company ran out and that's why they haven't sent us any. the funniest part of this is that my co-worker laura is now answering the president. and laura is one of the more loud people i know. so to see a conversation between her and dr. torrance is intensely amusing to me.

so, in essence, we tell him no we don't have it and we will call him. then he goes to just peruse the mont blanc case. and i have someone else i should help at the register. but i'm not done wanting to impress the prez. i guess because i go over to him and point out the special edition mont blanc anniversary pens. but i can't get my information out in a coherent way and he says something to the effect that he shall have to tell his wife. and off he goes out of my store. the excitement of my day.