Worst-case scenario

A friend who manages a large chain bookstore reported on the Harry Potter launch: "At 10:20 p.m., just as we were about to pick the winner of the jelly bean game, which is the third activity, there was a loud pop and the power went out. Picture 400 revved-up kids and parents in total darkness. The emergency lights came on and we kept everyone calm while I tried getting PG&E on my cell phone to ask them what was going on. But eventually we had to evacuate everyone. Four hundred people went down the street to [the other big chain bookstore in the same neighborhood] and we locked the doors. Because we can't even sell the books without power -- no cash registers."

"Wow," I said, "I guess your numbers for Q3 will be a little off."

"Yeah, it wasn't until everyone was out of the store and I was walking back to my office to lock everything up that it hit me. I haven't heard anything from corporate yet, though. But talk about bad timing. That's basically your worst-case scenario."