BEHIND THE COUNTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 37, 13 February 1926, Page 21

BEHIND THE COUNTER.

TRADE CHARACTERISTICS. BUTCHER, BAKER, AND SOMS OTHERS. (By SUMNER GROVE.} Often there appears in the columns of a newspaper criticism of the neverending army of shoppers. Now as a change let us consider for a while the man behind the counter. It is curious if one is at all interested or observant how certain trades appear to develop certain characteristics. There does not appear to be any reason why butchers should be optimistic ana genial, while bakers are inclined to be depressed and gloomy, but undoubtedly they are so. There is a cheerfulness about the man who pries you off the family joint that you will not find in the man who bakes your bread. Next the grocer. A peculiarity about grocers is their "knowledgeableness." Grocers really appear to know everything —that is, everything of a practical nature in everyday life. It, must be the variety and changing nature of the commodities they deal in that makes them open-minded and recep- ' tive. Another point about grocers is their "informativeness." They are . always willing to pass on any interesting little fact they happen to know about any product. One might consider this was just "salesmanship." Perhaps it is to a certain extent. Anyway, from a customer's point of view, grocers are rather interesting men. Now let us consider the bootmaker. Bootmakers, the old-time cobblers, have always been associated with a certain amount of thoughtfulness and culture. Also they are associated in my mind with ; progressive, I will not say revolutionary, j tendencies. One will generally find, if he sounds the man who repairs his boots, that he has pronounced ideas as to the state of the country, and the eondit'ons of life generally. There is nothing hidebound or conservative about your bootman. He will always have an open and receptive mind for any new ideas that come within his ken. I am convinced that the saying: "Let the shoemaker stick to his last." was first uttered by some disgruntled person who found the shoemaker's criticism too true and poignant. Books and Pots. . Booksellers are. of course, remarkable for their really astonishing ignorance of books —that is. the contents of them. No bookseller I have met will ever admit that he has read any particular book. This peculiarity they share with librarians. I was quite surprised when one librarian actually admitted he had "skimmed" a certain book. It was really remarkable that a librarian should so far commit himself. "So bookseller to my recollection has ever gone as far as that. The only literary light I can associate with a book.-hop is the great and learned Samuel Johnston, who was, (if I rerrember rightly) the son of a bookseller in the city of London. But I feel quite certain of one thing —he was never his father's, assistant in the shop. There is no doubt that ironmongers become a little like the uncompromising metal they deal chiefly in. A man of grit and iron is your ironmonger. Do you remember how the "Ironmaster," the "Man of Iron" from the "Vnorth country affected .Sir Leicester Dedloek in "Bleak House." I must confess that Is just the way ironmongers affect mc. The outstanding characteristic of chemists is their air of reserve —a •nrious manner, as if they are keeping something from you they do not wish you to know, and have a certain apprehension that you may possibly get to know it. One feels that one never really knows one's chemist. The Invisible Draper. If there is a mysterious air about your chemist, what shall we say about your draper. At least you can enter his shop and see the chemist before you, but the draper you never see. You can frequent his shop for years, perhaps three or four times a week, but the nearest you will ever get is that perhaps one day when you are wandering in some unfrequented part of the shop you may with a sense of surprise come upon his name painted on an unobtrusive door in an obscure corner. This is all the more surprising as no tradesman treats you quite as well as the draper, or is apparently so dis-' interested. You can enter his shop, and see his wares displayed. He provides for you a comfortable lounge, where you can use his note-paper, or read his illustrated papers, or use his telephone, and he does not seem particularly concerned whether you buy anything or not. Of course, it is quite possible that as you go out you may see the particular article you are urgently in need, of, but did uot know it till that moment. Your draper is always polite. Supposing you are a little belated in paying your account. You will receive a very courteous, friendly letter (signed by his secretary, needless to say), appealing to your better nature, so to speak, and taking you quite into his confidence. He will tell you about his heavy shipments that are due. and the payments he has to make, and the awkward position lie will be placed in unless your account (it amounts to £3 10/11) is paid before the 20th of the month. You are quite unable to resist such an appeal coming from such a quarter, ami hasten to the shop as fast as you can. Some Other Tradesmen. I do not want to omit the timehonoured trade of watch-making and clock-making, but on reflection, I cannot find the clock-makers have any outstanding characteristics. Clocks and watches are so individual in themselves, and "Father Time"' is so impartial and indifferent in his onward speed, that no doubt each clock-maker just develops his own individuality. '"Quien sabe?' To go a liti'T further afield, and desert the man behind the counter, carriers are remarkable for a certain courtesy and affability. A carrier will bring a parcel to your door, and ask you to sign his docket with such an air that he almost makes you forget that you have bought and paid for it yourself and (most probably) had quite a tussel with the shop-keeper before he would consent to express it at all. The carrier is as a rule welcome, and he knows it. Carriers are surprising men altogether. They are gentle in their manner, and helpful —the motor-van carriers equally so with those now becoming rare —the carriers who still have their horses. What about the man who brings your morning milk? Undoubtedly early rising does not embitter a man, for your milkman is the most cheerful of beings. Does early rising really make one healthy? The milkman makes one believe it does.