trystinn | Customers Slay Me

A customer calls in, explaining that her child's teacher has requested they order Stephen King's "Elements of Style". Go ahead and hit your head repeatedly into a desk, it gets worse from there.

I'm madly checking ISBN searches and databases during this, trying to find *something* that might be along what she's looking for.

T: Ma'm, is there any chance that the teacher meant "Elements of Style" by Strunk & White?
C: No, no. Its written by Stephen King! I don't know who this Strunk & White is.
T: Stephen King, as in the horror writer?
C: Yes, that Stephen King. Are there others named Stephen King?
T: Quite a few, actually. Stephen King did write a sort of autobiography called "On Writing", could that be it?
C: No, I told you its called "Elements of Style". Its for a creative writing course.
T: Strunk & White's is the only book called "Elements of Style" that I'm aware of that is routinely used by teachers. There's also a "Elements of Grammar" & "Elements of Punctuation" in that series.
C: No. I told you, its for a creative writing course! Why would Grammar & Punctuation be included in a creative writing course?? Its called "Elements of Style", could you search on that, please?
T: That would typically be the Strunk & White guide, ma'm. The rest are books on architecture, etc.
C: I don't know why you're being so difficult. The teacher told us to get "Elements of Style" by Stephen King.
T: Ma'm, I'm sorry I cant' find any record of any book by that title by that author.
C: He wrote it back in 1960.
T: Ma'm, Steven King, the horror writer, was born in 1947. He was 13 in 1960. His first novel was published in 1974.
C: That's it.
T: Ma'm, his first book was "Carrie". I've checked Stephen King's website, it doesn't list a book called "Elements of Style" in the list of his published works.
C: So you can't order it for me?
T: I can't order you "Elements of Style" by Stephen King. I'd be happy to order the Strunk & White "Elements of Style" so you can take a look at it. You're under no obligation to buy it, however.
C: I'm going to contact the teacher and let her know that area businesses cannot order it.
T: Yes, ma'm. Why don't you have her call the bookstore - I'll be here until 4:00pm.

*headdesk*