Our digital camera stopped working when it hit the floor. Our family vacation, including grandchildren, starts tomorrow. We need a camera. So, I get myself over to Best Buy in Marlborough, MA. (Are there other choices?)

So, I walk in the front door. The place is huge! Light, but not blindingly bright. I search the ceiling for a digital camera sign and off I go. Archie is standing at ease at the end of an aisle. I asked him if he was guarding the cameras. He asked something like, "digital, SLR or movie?". When I answered, "digital". He said follow me.

He learned that I was mostly into small and simple. He did show me a new feature called the auto scene selector. (I think.) He explained the differences in batteries and why it mattered to me. He asked questions and answered mine regarding battery life, storage cards, different models, and manufacturers. He explained the extended warranty options. I bought my camera, shook his hand, asked him for his email address so I could send him this post. He asked me to go to betsbuycares.com and rate my experience in the store that day. I told him that I would and left for home.

During my visit, he told me that he was recently returned from Loudon, NH where he watched the Best Buy Dodge race. Many of the examples and stories that he used with me were from that day. It was like I was talking to a friend about how great his camera was that weekend, what he was able to do and some of the great shots that he got. However, for some reason, Archie was very sensitive to the fact that I wasn't as savvy as he was about cameras, so he only told me stories that were appropriate to the question that I had asked. Very interesting. Usually when I talk to these guys, they show their knowledge and experience and lose or intimidate me.

If I needed to buy something at another Best Buy department, I would probably return to Archie and ask, "Hey, Archie, thanks for the help with my camera. Who knows as much about ______ as you know about cameras?" and I'd look for him to introduce me to that person.

Thanks, Archie.