I am the Genghis Kahn of bookstores!
Last Saturday, in an effort to reintegrate myself in normal society, I drove two and a half hours to Kansas City to spend one hour wandering around in the heat with some of ex-neighbors (who live in the same town as us). In hindsight, perhaps this would have gone more smoothly if we'd scheduled it for a day when the sidewalk wasn't melting, but I enjoyed myself anyway. They have a young daughter named Sophie, who's got the biggest blue eyes ever. She's a bundle of energy who insisted I hold her hand while we were walking around. We got so far behind the rest of the group, I think some of the passersby may have mistaken her for my daughter.
After cooling off in an ice cream shop, we went our separate ways and my dad, his girlfriend, and I headed back to her hometown (which is only a half-hour away from KC) to drop her off.
The highlight of the evening was a stop at the Borders there, which was big enough to make me fall to my knees in thanks. It was also air-conditioned.
Now, to continue you this story, I have to tell you another one. About two months ago, just before I graduated, I got a lovely card from my dad. I can't remember what it said, but it contained a hundred-dollar Borders gift card. I see the logic in this. At the time, I was still in Florida, with a Borders close at hand. Unfortunately, I was also busy getting ready for graduation and my first semester at college, and I managed to stop by Waldenbooks in the mall once.
After graduation, I flew directly to Maryland for a small family-reunion-type endeavor in Ocean City, which contains approximately one bookstore. This is not Borders.
I was then whisked (well, driven for 18 hours) back to Columbia, Missouri. There are several bookstores in town. None of them are Borders.
A week later, I flew into Pittsburgh for the most amazing two weeks of my short, pathetic life, and got to go to not one, but two bookstore readings. These did not take place at a Borders.
Which brings us to last Saturday, when I was finally able to enter one such a place. I headed directly for the F/SF section and began scanning the shelves. It was a happy time. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has walked into a bookstore recently, scanned the shelves, and felt a slap of awe when I realized that I actually Know Some of the Authors upon said shelves. It left me giddy and a little slap-happy, and I was actually pretty glad that I'd had to wait so long to get ahold of all these books.
I left the store with my arms sore from holding them all up and $4 left on the gift card.
Veni, Vidi, Vicci.
After cooling off in an ice cream shop, we went our separate ways and my dad, his girlfriend, and I headed back to her hometown (which is only a half-hour away from KC) to drop her off.
The highlight of the evening was a stop at the Borders there, which was big enough to make me fall to my knees in thanks. It was also air-conditioned.
Now, to continue you this story, I have to tell you another one. About two months ago, just before I graduated, I got a lovely card from my dad. I can't remember what it said, but it contained a hundred-dollar Borders gift card. I see the logic in this. At the time, I was still in Florida, with a Borders close at hand. Unfortunately, I was also busy getting ready for graduation and my first semester at college, and I managed to stop by Waldenbooks in the mall once.
After graduation, I flew directly to Maryland for a small family-reunion-type endeavor in Ocean City, which contains approximately one bookstore. This is not Borders.
I was then whisked (well, driven for 18 hours) back to Columbia, Missouri. There are several bookstores in town. None of them are Borders.
A week later, I flew into Pittsburgh for the most amazing two weeks of my short, pathetic life, and got to go to not one, but two bookstore readings. These did not take place at a Borders.
Which brings us to last Saturday, when I was finally able to enter one such a place. I headed directly for the F/SF section and began scanning the shelves. It was a happy time. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has walked into a bookstore recently, scanned the shelves, and felt a slap of awe when I realized that I actually Know Some of the Authors upon said shelves. It left me giddy and a little slap-happy, and I was actually pretty glad that I'd had to wait so long to get ahold of all these books.
I left the store with my arms sore from holding them all up and $4 left on the gift card.
Veni, Vidi, Vicci.