I cleaned up the kids’ section, made a beverage run to Starbucks, and assisted customers until the store closed—all of which I accomplished with a certain photographer snapping photos behind me. Scott was good about backing off when customers needed help. He even distracted a little boy with a LEGO spaceship while I gave his older sister some book recommendations. But it wasn’t like we shared our life stories while shelving. For someone who willingly agreed to shadow me for hours, Scott wasn’t exactly a fountain of information about himself. Maybe because he was so focused on his photography. He kept making adjustments to get the perfect shot, but by the time the click came I was a knot of tension. All the scrutiny made me self-conscious. So I flinched and winced and repeatedly pointed out that working at a bookstore wasn’t exactly front-page material. But every time I asked why he had decided to come in the first place, he shrugged and gave me more directions. Turn left. Look right.
