"Borders ground-level employees are practically begging for the chain to die."

In these times? I don't understand that - it's a relatively sweet job, unless you're a spoiled brat or don't like books. There's a chance it may turn out to have been the BEST JOB IN THEIR LIVES.

They'll realize that once they're shoveling burgers at Target - or pizza at Dominics - or dying of complete boredom in a clothing retailer - or tieing flies at home for quick extra cash.

working at borders isn't any different than working at any other barely-above-minimum-wage retail place. it's not like you get to read the books all day. unless you're one of the higher-ups who gets to order inventory, you're just a shelf-stocking checkout drudge like anybody else. totally not a sweet job.

When you're one of very few employees in a very big store, as it appears to be in Border's, you are doing the job of 3-4 people. It may be a cleanish, good-smelling place to work, but it is still a retail job with customers who demand service like you're their county-paid employee at the library. And the very nastiest customers are the ones that take up your time and energy to find books that you then find in a heap somewhere. They don't buy them. They just USE THEM. Ditto the magazines and everything else they can open and destroy. Working at a bookstore might be a slightly better class of retail but it is still retail. And working retail will destory your Faith in Mankind.

Isn't this where Will jumps in with inane comments about how nobody wants a Kindle and Amazone will never sell any and it's all about the iPad?