Having found on one of the Internet sites with vacancies an advertisement about the search for a seller in an esoteric store, I, without a second hesitation, dialed the phone number indicated for contacts.
Sorcerer's chest
Have you ever practiced magic? - the first thing that was asked of me. I was a little at a loss, figuring out how best to answer. - No, I'm not obsessed with witchcraft and I know about magical attributes only in theory. But your vacancy seems attractive to me, because your product is so unusual …
- Okay, drive up to the interview. Our store is called "Sorcerer's Chest" …
Frankly, the appearance of the store disappointed me a little. I expected to see at least a miracle shop, but in fact I arrived at the business center, where two offices were rented. And without any signs and advertising posters. As it turned out later, the store works like this: customers first select and order goods via the Internet on the store's website. Then a pass is issued in their name at the entrance of the business center, they come and, having checked the goods, make out the purchase. In fact, one rented office is used as a warehouse, the other is used as a reception area, where invoices with guarantees are issued, a cashier's receipt is knocked out, and where the seller will have to meet future buyers …
Are you afraid of the dead?
Promotional video:
I will not describe how the interview was held: a standard set of questions and answers. When my interlocutor (by the way, her name is Svetlana and she is the owner of this business and the chief accountant - in one person) realized that I meet all her requirements and, in general, everything suits me, she asked, as it seemed to me, the most key question: "Are you afraid of the dead?"
I was again at a loss, not knowing if she had a sense of humor and how seriously she could answer.
- Well, when they lie in a coffin, why be afraid of them? Now, if they get up from there - it's already scary! I smiled.
“Humor is important in our business,” she nodded approvingly. - Could you take a dead cat with your hands?
- If necessary for business, I'll take … - I answered, although I could hardly imagine such a thing. “I'll plug my nose with one hand so it doesn't stink, and the scruff with the other.
- well! You are hired! - Svetlana said. - And she will not stink, do not be afraid … They are all processed, sterile, odorless …
Hedgehogs heads and fish eyes
The next day, a fixed-term contract was signed with me for a probationary period - two months (the director explained: the work is still not easy, not everyone can cope, but if everything is okay with me, he will issue me to the state with a work book) and instructing began. For the first time Svetlana opened the door for me to the Holy of Holies - to the second office. The whole room was lined with shelves and shelves, reminiscent of a library, but instead of books, faceless boxes. On some of them, in a chaotic order, there are talking signs: "Aromatic oils", "Incense", "Candles", "Stones", "Cards", "Balls", "Mirrors", "Bags", "Runes" … A product that demonstrated to me, impressed: here they will pick up the collection of chamomile, and Thursday salt, and candles of any color.
“We have been on the market for 7 years already,” Svetlana explains, at the same time taking a tour of her bins and showing me every new artifact from the boxes, shocking me more and more. - We studied the demand, responded to the needs. Today we have in the assortment only what is in demand and what they take. For example, green candles. This is generally a hot commodity, every month up to 10 thousand pieces leave. Participants in the Battle of Psychics are buying them in bulk from us.
- "The battle of psychics"? - I ask again.
- Yes! Gone are the days when witches themselves gathered herbs and made candles from wax. Now everyone is following them to the store. Look, the St. Petersburg coven of witches is bought only from us.
- And here are the kitties! - Svetlana exclaimed and dumped in front of me the contents of one of the boxes - a piece of ten cat's front legs, each of which was neatly wrapped in polyethylene …
- Real? - I did not believe. - Or rabbit?
- Feline! We have a guarantee for everything! Paws of cats and skins of dogs, claws of bears and quills of porcupines, heads of hedgehogs and eyes of fish … Just don't ask where it comes from …
- I'm much more interested in whether it is legal? Can body parts of dead cats be sold?
- Firstly, all this is decorated as souvenirs, we do not sell magical attributes, but souvenirs. Secondly, according to the documents - for the inspectors - they can be both rabbit and plastic. But our customers know what it is and why …
“Creepy,” I summed up.
“It's not creepy yet. Look here … - Svetlana took the lid off one of the boxes and handed me a rope with a loop. - A real, unique product!
- In terms of? - I did not understand.
- This is the rope of the hanged man. Used in hundreds of rituals! The magicians are worth their weight in gold. Their suppliers very rarely bring us, witches line up for this product. Now there are four in the queue, they left their phones, as soon as they appear fresh, I will call.
- Why won't you sell this rope?
- She has no history. That is, we bought it on parole, they say, was hanged. There is no evidence. So it costs only 3 thousand and is interesting only for novice magicians. And if a rope with a history - the date of death, the place of burial, and sometimes there is also a photo from the police, taken at the place of suicide - is known … - such a product is expected. Sometimes for years. And it costs about a hundred thousand rubles.
* * *
I regularly served my first working day at the phone and computer. I was sincerely surprised at how many people we have who want to profit from something mystical: I took about fifty calls with inquiries, issued and collected 9 orders. Per day! And in the evening I told Svetlana that I would no longer go to work. Without any questions, she tore up the employment contract and, smiling, said: “But I knew … Look, look, on my table is a souvenir glass ball for fortune telling, which costs 4 thousand rubles. How did you come to us - he grew dim. It was a sign, I immediately realized that we would not work together …"
