Really very terrible.
So many anonymous books to search through. I will never find the motivation to read these books I've never even heard of. Look up familiar names. DH Lawrence. JD Salinger. Steinbeck. Hmmmm of course there's no more Westerfeld. I would know if he had written something new. Damn me for sprinting through all of his books so quickly. Kerouac. Kerouac Kerouac Kerouac.
"Excuse me " [creepy used bookstore man please don't oh god no not the fucking elevator eyes ew ew ew] "sir but I'm just going to assume that you don't have any copies of On the Road here, do you? I mean. I asked Rick up in the city and he said that no one gives up that book or when they do it goes like, that very day. But I was just checking anyways."
"Kerouac?" [oggle oggle oggle] "Did you see him up there on the shelf? No I don't think we have any copies here. Nah. But hey" [sidle sidle closer closer] "between you and me" [glance glance] "On the Road is a really pretty terrible book."
Why I have to ask myself. Why does this man work in a book store. A used book store, no less.
"The attitude is right. I encourage the attitude. I would like to think you have that attitude. But really. Not a good book. I see you have a copy of The Fountainhead there" [creeps closer. I can feel his breath on my neck ew ew ew] "That's pretty beaten up. I might have a better copy just waiting for you."
"Oh, uh. Thanks. But, uh. I don't care what it looks like really. This copy is two dollars cheaper."
He picks up the other copy and shoves it in my hands. "Take this one for that price. Cheapskates. I 'm a cheapskate myself."
I try to sneak in the other direction.
"Young lady, I'm closing up soon. If you want to I can wait. I can stick around while you search. What's your name? I'll let Rick know you're looking for a copy of On the Road."
"Rebecca"
[stares expectantly]
"Rebecca...uh...H."
"Okay Rebecca. You should stop by tomorrow, really. Rick is going to be around."
[oggle oggle oggle]
"You know what. Take all those books for ten dollars. Don't worry about the tax or anything. See you around, Rebecca."
"Excuse me " [creepy used bookstore man please don't oh god no not the fucking elevator eyes ew ew ew] "sir but I'm just going to assume that you don't have any copies of On the Road here, do you? I mean. I asked Rick up in the city and he said that no one gives up that book or when they do it goes like, that very day. But I was just checking anyways."
"Kerouac?" [oggle oggle oggle] "Did you see him up there on the shelf? No I don't think we have any copies here. Nah. But hey" [sidle sidle closer closer] "between you and me" [glance glance] "On the Road is a really pretty terrible book."
Why I have to ask myself. Why does this man work in a book store. A used book store, no less.
"The attitude is right. I encourage the attitude. I would like to think you have that attitude. But really. Not a good book. I see you have a copy of The Fountainhead there" [creeps closer. I can feel his breath on my neck ew ew ew] "That's pretty beaten up. I might have a better copy just waiting for you."
"Oh, uh. Thanks. But, uh. I don't care what it looks like really. This copy is two dollars cheaper."
He picks up the other copy and shoves it in my hands. "Take this one for that price. Cheapskates. I 'm a cheapskate myself."
I try to sneak in the other direction.
"Young lady, I'm closing up soon. If you want to I can wait. I can stick around while you search. What's your name? I'll let Rick know you're looking for a copy of On the Road."
"Rebecca"
[stares expectantly]
"Rebecca...uh...H."
"Okay Rebecca. You should stop by tomorrow, really. Rick is going to be around."
[oggle oggle oggle]
"You know what. Take all those books for ten dollars. Don't worry about the tax or anything. See you around, Rebecca."