I've mentioned a couple times that I used to work in a comic store. The
store was called Dreamscape Comics and the owner, my old boss, passed
away on Sunday, so I'd like to take a little time to remember him.
I was more familiar with Bill and when I handed in my
application to the ponytailed fellow at the register, he asked me a
couple questions. Did I read comics, play Magic: The Gathering and play
RPGs? I said I did all three. He asked me my opinion on comics. I said
most of the stuff put out by Marvel and DC was crap, but the smaller
publishers still put out good stuff which, I'm convinced is what got me
the job.
That ponytailed fellow was Nick, and he was an occasionally maddening but always wonderful boss. I was thrilled to
get the position. I had shopped there as a kid and I was over the moon to work there as an adult.
I
remember how he told he he started collecting Marvel comics because he
liked the way they put the faces of the characters in the box in the
corner. Then he laughed, and if you knew Nick, you're hearing that laugh
now.
Nick was smart. Nick was fun. Our annual Dreamscape outings, to
Celtic Classic and Musikfest, were some of the best times I've ever had.
Nick was a confirmed skeptic and an eloquent defender of free speech and human reason.
Nick passionately supported local artists.
Nick loved the sounds of the Big Band era, and he'd blast it through the sound system of the store, which he wired himself.
Nick was funny. I remember doing year end inventory with him and
when we couldn't find "The Complete Thief's Handbook", he quipped
"Maybe somebody stole it."
Nick was infuriating. It took us more
than three years to sell the Kiss eight-tracks that were taking up
valuable real estate in the display case, and the very next day after we
finally did find a buyer, Nick went out and bought four more to stick
in the case.
Nick saw where the industry was headed long before anybody else.
Nick
let me keep my employee discount after I left and would ever so gently
remind me that it had been a year since I'd been in and it would be nice
if I could come by and pick up the stuff he was holding for me.
Nick was occasionally grumpy. I remember one time when we invited
him to a Halloween party and he was sitting there with a slice of cake and hangdog face and he said, "I've gained ten pounds since
college."
And Jeannie, wonderful, grounded Jeannie said, "Nick, it's a party!" and that was the end of that.
Nick kept a specialty store afloat in an industry that was shrinking every year.
Even
fifteen years after I had moved on, gone to New Hampshire and returned
to the area, I still made it a point to go back to visit Dreamscape.
Even since Lily was born. Especially since Lily was born. She loved
visiting "Mister Nick's Store" and he was always so kind to her and had
the best suggestions. I forget if it was he or Jeannie who suggested
"Silly Lily", but I know I got the book at Dreamscape and she loved it
when she was smaller. He gave her free comics when she was in the
hospital recovering from her burns.
He helped pick out the comics my friend Eric gave out as party
favors at his son's birthday party. That was such a good idea and I
intended to repeat it with Lily's party, but time got away from me and I
didn't get around to it, and now I regret that even more because doing so
would have meant that I got to see Nick one last time.
Just yesterday, a friend asked if I thought Lily would continue to
read comics as she got older. I told her I didn't know, that it was
really up to Lily, but I never doubted that there would be many more
years of trips to Mister Nick's store, which was the daddy-daughter
activity Lily enjoyed the most.
I'm sorry that Nick is gone. He was a good guy and there were too few people like him out there.
Eric over at Gaming with the Gnomies also has a remembrance of Nick.
Very nice remembrance. My condolences to you and the whole Dreamscape extended family. I've always loved going there since I was a kid, and hopefully it will continue on in his absence so more folks can have the joy of discovering comics.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this.
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