Dedicated to Sebastien Xavier Meunier
RECORD STORE TALES MkII: Getting More Tale
#425: The Soup Nazi
One of the classic, most popular antagonists from the old TV show Seinfeld is the Soup Nazi . This character, the proprietor of a busy, highly rated soup joint in Manhattan, was eccentric to say the least. The Soup Nazi had strict rules about lining up and ordering your soup.
Jerry: “There’s only one caveat. The guy who runs the place is a little temperamental, especially about the ordering procedure. He’s secretly referred to as the Soup Nazi.”
Elaine: “Why? What happens if you don’t order right?”
Jerry: “He yells and you don’t get your soup.”
That’s right! Deviate from procedure, and there’s no soup for you! Jerry continues:
Jerry: “As you walk in the place, move immediately to your right. The main thing is to keep the line moving. It’s very important not to embellish on your order. No extraneous comments. No questions. No compliments.”
As it turned out, George complained about some forgotten bread. He was given a refund and had his soup taken away! “No soup for you!” Elaine ended up with a one year ban! The only Seinfeld character with whom the Soup Nazi seems to have an understanding is Kramer. “You suffer for your soup,” says Cosmo Kramer. “You demand perfection from yourself, from your soup.”
I have always had a…what’s the word?…not admiration, but something like that…for the Soup Nazi. Envy, perhaps. Not for his gruff demeanor. Not for his rude reactions to people. Not for a badass moustache. Just for his demand…nay!…his expectation on a nice, quiet orderly line. I like order.
You might be surprised to learn that a used CD store can have a very, very busy counter area. It’s quite easy for things to go sideways if you’re not on top of them. The used CD store was a place in which you’re performing multiple duties simultaneously. While you are buying a pile of 50 CDs (which you have organized meticulously by condition and offering price), you could also be looking up inventory for someone else, and doing a sale for someone else. Is that the phone ringing?
On a busy day, I could have several piles of discs that I’m buying from customers, and also a few more piles that customers want to buy, but have set aside while they look around some more. It can get very confusing very quickly if there is not order.
Back in Part 274 of Record Store Tales, we took a look at a type of customer I dubbed the “Hawks”. These are folks with a lot of CDs to sell. They were the most annoying customers in the world: sellers who just want to hang out at the front counter, watch what you’re doing, and chat. They are completely oblivious to the concept of other people. They don’t realize there is someone else behind them who is trying to buy something, while they lean and take up all the counter space themselves. The Soup Nazi didn’t put up with that.
Since I wasn’t a Soup Nazi (and had bosses who could fire me and stuff), I would just politely (as I could manage) tell the guy that he has a line forming behind him, and could he please move off to the side? I’d encourage them to go and get a coffee and come back later if I was going through a lot of CDs for them.
Even worse than Hawks in some ways though were customers who were just nosy. “What are these?” they’d ask, before jumbling the piles of CDs that I had meticulously arranged earlier. “Those belong to someone else, I had them all organized so please don’t mix them up.” Frustration boils inside, fake smiles on the outside!
So yes, condemn me if you wish. I can sympathize with the Soup Nazi. I’m sure the following people burned his britches just as much as they burned mine!
- The ones who are too busy chatting with their friends or on a cell phone to notice they are NEXT IN LINE!
- Counter leaners who take up the whole thing, while bombarding you with BAD BREATH! They tend to leave the counter dirty, and/or sweaty.
- Counter parkers, who decide not to look around the store at all, but just park there and ask questions. They don’t like making room for paying customers. They don’t even know there are any other customers. They just have questions. LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS!
- CLINGERS. These people are not your friends, but they don’t know that. Friends understand that you’re working and they are not, so they don’t bother you too much. Clingers were usually customers who seemed lonely, and just wanted to hang out. They like to chat, ask questions, and make it look like that CD in their hand is something they are really going to purchase. But no, is it all just an elaborate hoax. They just needed to kill a couple hours, and someone to talk to. The person behind the counter is a captive audience. They buy like, one or two discs a year just so they can’t be officially labelled a nuisance.
Looking back on it today, maybe it would have been better for my soul had I just take a few tips from the Soup Nazi. No discs for you!
Haha yes this is what happens when you’re too nice :)
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Too nice and too jerky — it’s a fine balance. I asked one of these counter clingers to please move aside so something could get in to pay. She said to me, “You’re being rude.” Can’t win, Danica.
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Hmm…you know, I’m thinking people just want to hang out and talk to you!
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Oh sure, some did, but I’m not that interesting. Once we’re done talking about farts, I have little material leftover.
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Haha :) Well, the chatty attention-seeking crowds would indicate otherwise.
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I don’t think it matters who is behind the counter. I think you could have put a parrot there, and the people would chat to it just as much!
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Ohh, a parrot! That would get a lineup out the door!
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I think a parrot would be awesome. Train it to tell off the worst customers, and you can’t get blamed.
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Install a coffee machine and people would never leave!
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The first time I went to Mexico I had a parrot befriend me at the swim up bar. It kept pecking me until I figured out it wanted to drink my beer, and being it was all inclusive, me and Polly got along just fine.
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Did Polly accompany you to the buffet as well?
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Senor. Mucho Grande Galletas? Para Mi Novia Polly. Si. Por Favor.
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Rough translation for my Spanglish.
Sir. Do you have a crackers for my girlfriend Polly?
Yes?
Thanks.
It sounds much more eloquent in Spanish though.
;)
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Polly loves crackers :) …and beer!
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I was in college at the time. We shared a similar diet.
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Those counter hogger folks are really pretty special. I’ve often gotten a little frustrated when stuck behind them. Always have a question they need to ask. They’re almost like shopper Columbos, aren’t they? (“oh, just one more thing?”).
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Oh please, I’ve had to stand BEHIND these douche bags in line trying to pay for my New Order and Led Zeppelin CDs…:P
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First time reading this comment, my brain said “New Kids and Led Zeppelin…”
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I was too old for New Kids (grade 10). My best friend who was 1.5 years younger was a closeted fan. I would rib her so bad about it, lol
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Grade 10 — not too old for New Kids.
In my grade 12 year, two girls discovered New Kids over the summer. They showed up to work with New Kids shirts on, and both had their hair in a side-ponytail. I’ll never forget the sight. They were teased pretty much mercilessly and didn’t do the T-shirts again.
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Grade 10- too old for ME to like New Kids…;)
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OK good point ;)
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BTW, nice 1998 pic. Why so serious? :D
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Truth?
I was trying to woo the ladies with a serious photo. I asked a buddy to take some pics of me so I had something to send to a girl. Oh God. And it frickin’ worked too.
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I went to the actual SOup nazi location in Manhattan last year!
He wasn’t there alas (and you can’t actually go in, it’s a window-front).
But Wendy & I both got bread :)
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I know there spinoff restaurant called Soup Nutzi?
Glad you got your bread :)
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Annoying customer “What are those?”
Me “Didn’t I tell you what those are?”
Annoying customer “No”
Me “Then I guess it’s none of your f*cking business.”
I probably wouldn’t have lasted there long.
:))))
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Wish I thought of that one.
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1998.Frosted tips?
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No, I did that afterwards. I went darker, first.
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Haha that was probably me sometimes! Also, nice pic – stylin’ dude with a STAPLER always at the ready!
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Yeah I was epitome of cool. Hah!
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“No more compilation album reviews for you. 2 years”
;)
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BWAHAHAHAH.
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