Of course, there had to be at least one. With about half an hour left in my day, a man (who had a clamp for a hand, which made the whole thing even odder) came up to the desk and wanted to know whether I could find a book if he didn't know all of the words in the title. I said I could try with a few words, so he said it was something like Motivational Interviewing. No luck. Then there was another one that he thought had the word autistic in the title. Again, no luck. He said that the pastor from his church had recommended they read some motivational books, or something. The pastor thing made me suspicious and, sure enough, as I was looking stuff up in the computer he asked me something like had I heard the word (not quite that cliched, but I knew what was coming) and before he could even finish, I brusquely said yes, to shut him up. Didn't work. A minute later he asked if I had a particular faith that I followed and again, to shut him up, I snapped "Yes, Presbyterian, and that's enough." He said he wouldn't go any farther, but kept muttering away, presumbly about his beliefs, as I typed, but I'd had enough of him by then. Then he wanted either self-help or business (because they're so similar). As I handed him a piece of paper with all of the call numbers on it, he said "If you ever want to know what I believe, just ask me." Um, could I have made it ANY clearer that I don't care, dude? I then went around warning all of the other staff that he may try it on them, too.
I just never understand that. Does anyone ever convert a perfect, random stranger to their beliefs by hassling them in public? Believe whatever you want, but leave people alone, especially when they make it clear that they're not interested.
Husband says he used to get people like that when he worked at a convenience store. He got so fed up that he once told one of them that he worshipped fire and the person believed him.