Aug 06, 2010 21:54
Or how our heroine was tempted to spend money.
This morning mum had a visit from the doctor (she did request the visit he didn't just pop in for coffee) and as an upshot of that I had to go to the chemists to collect a prescription. The person took the script off me and disappeared into the back shop. I looked around and around and again (it is a small chemists) and eventually he came back to say 'There'll be a wait, the computer is down.' I elected to do do the rest of my shopping as I was a tad bored with the chemits display. On my way to the Co-op I passed a Charity shop. It was open. I usually only pass this shop on my way to the chip shop on the odd night we have a takeaway and it is closed. I started to walk past - it is a local shop and not actually very inviting looking. As I passed the door I saw shelves of books so taking my courage in both hands and knowing I had time to kill I went in. The adult shelves were the usual jumble of well known authors (Dick Francis, Catherine Cookson etc. then I saw the children's shelves and they looked at first glance to be full of the usual dog eared paper backs though they did have a copy of What Katy did and an Anne book which looked OK and most probably had been offloaded from somewhere else as they looked new (and I'm sure I saw similar copies in the hospice bookshop last week), thinking about it a bargain bookshop in town closed a few weeks ago.
Anyway back to my story (confession) there were 2 hardback books on the edge of the shelf I'd actually moved them to see if there was anything interesting lurking at the back. I looked again and then again. They were hardback Bobbsey Twins Books. OK not as exciting as 1st ed CS or anything I know but still they were hardback children's books and I did read some Bobbsey books in my youth. I had £15 on me to do the shopping. Instant calculation decided I could spare £5 for them. There was a notice that said HBs £1 and PBs 50p each but surely HB Bobbseys (though not in first class condidtion) would cost more. I took them to the counter wondering if they would keep them for me if I didn't have enough (memo to self never go shopping without your purse) the counter was manned by 2 12 year olds (grandma babysitting and volunteering at the same time). The taller one took the books and looked in vain (as had I) for a price. 'Grandma,how much?' she shouted holding my books aloft to a lady gossiping with her mate behing a rail of blouses. The lady looked and shouted back '50p.' 'Each?' shouted the child. 'Yes.' came the answer.
And that dear reader is the tale of how I walked out of the shop with 2 hard backed books for a £1. Have I started myself on a new collection? Possibly not but I couldn't leave them could I as they would probably have been binned as dust collectors after a while. They have a stamp from the local catholic fee paying girls school that closed a long time ago (what was left amalgamated with the boys school) and one from a local guy SHBS/dealer I have never heard off.
I did do the shopping and collected the prescription (lets hope this one works) and have my bedtime reading sorted for tomight and tomorrow!
All in all a good day.