A dream fulfilled

Some people dream of playing at Carnegie Hall, others of receiving a Nobel Prize, while others want to make the Dean's list. If you had asked me before 6th grade, my answer undoubtedly would have been "running a grocery store". And why did I want to run a grocery store? Because of the cash register! I was fascinated with the machine with all the buttons, blinking lights, and ringing bell. I could have watched for hours. I knew, of course, that other businesses had cash registers but they didn't seem to be in constant use like the ones at the grocery store.

In sixth grade I found out that math was as fun as cash registers, especially when other people were awed by math. Girls were impressed by boys who could figure out story problems and help them with their math homework. So math became my consuming interest.

But this weekend, I had the opportunity to cashier for the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library (Friends) during half of their First Annual Tent Fiction sale. I was given a 10-minute training on the use of our brand new cash register then began processing sales on the new machine. I think it is the cheapest we could buy at Costco. For example, it can't print the name of our organization or even an abbreviation or the date. And it doestn't automatically advance the tape at the end of a transaction so you can tear off and give to the customer (after stamping the tape with the Friends Book Den.

I suspect it has more features than we are using but until I get more involved with the Book Den, I'd better stay away. Besides, I've got my dream.