Bugging You Out Of The Bugs

(I am in line at a bookstore, intending to purchase a large volume on the insects of Australia. With some other books, the whole purchase is well over $200. As I’m standing in line at the register to buy the books, I’m leafing through the insect book to see what it says. A clerk comes out of nowhere and scowls at me.)

Clerk: “Please don’t mangle that book. It’s very expensive.”

Me: “I’m not mangling it. I’m reading it.”

Clerk: “We encourage browsing, but that book is very expensive. Please put it back and stop mangling it.”

Me: “Well, I was going to buy it, but okay. I’ll put it back.”

Clerk: “Wait, you’re buying it? Why didn’t you say so?”

Me: “I thought that the fact I was standing in a line behind three people with my wallet out was clue enough. But I won’t be buying it now, because of your rudeness. I’ll buy it somewhere else. I hope you find another entomologist who likes a $150 scientific textbook on the local insects!”

(I left the store. The last thing I saw was the bookstore manager coming over to the clerk with a VERY displeased look on his face.)