Every day people walk into the map store and say “I’m looking for a good map of…”

No one ever asks for a crummy map, or even a so-so one.

I never thought about this more than I do about other bits of habitual verbal filler.  “Good for what?” I usually ask, in order to be helpful.  I might mention that I try not to deal in bad maps at all unless there is no alternative for that particular coverage, in which case even a poor map can be the Best Map.

Today I realized that customers who ask for a good map are those who actually want to read the maps!  They want to do more than decorate the wall.  They go on to complain about an inadequate map they already have, or more often these days, some electronic “solution.”  These are customers who seriously plan to learn from their map, or to help others learn.

(Please do not think I want to turn away customers who are only in the market for sofa sized art).