The Writer's Life 4/4

It was a gorgeous day, not a cloud anywhere, the temperature mild, negating the effects of the breeze. Political Man stopped by the floating bookshop, telling me about his trip to the dentist. It wasn't long before he went into full campaign mode, telling each person passing: "Four more years, tax the rich, keep women's rights." He attracted a Russian gentleman, and they fell into a lengthy discussion which, inevitably, turned to PM's favorite subject, marijuana. PM claims legalization will lead to four billion dollars of tax revenue and solve all government shortfalls. If only. The Russian gentleman, who has never taken an illegal drug, was baffled and asked about the effects. Soon a crabby elderly woman, who has frequently told me of her hatred of Russians, joined the fray. I was getting it from three sides. Help! I wanted to shout. All I wanted to do was sell some books, hopefully one or more of mine, and there I was in the middle of a squall. I had to step away and wait until it had subsided. Oy vay!

Herbie visited and bought J S Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, whose film adaption flopped, despite Oscar nominations. Several critics denounced it as exploitation of 9/11. 9/11 is another theme I avoid, along with slavery and the Holocaust. I walked past Ground Zero every work day for seven years, smelled the smoldering fire while working the trading floor of the Commodity Exchange for many months after the attack. I am still pissed off about it and wish every terrorist dead.

I had two unusual sales today. A large black man who usually opts for spiritual works chose Karen Harper's Dark Angel, a thriller, and an elderly female fan of fantasy and sci-fi picked a Ruth Rendell mystery whose title escapes me. And a young woman, a local home attendant with a wonderful smile, made a big score, landing Stephenie Meyer's Twilight and New Moon, which she'd had to pass on yesterday because of a lack of funds.

Susan, one of my best customers, has returned from her winter in Thailand, where her sons have settled. I wondered if she too had chosen to settle there, near her grandkids. She said she is considering it but still feels Brooklyn is home. She wasted no time, buying a collection of short stories by Margaret Atwood, Wilderness Tips. I promised to make a list of all the obscure novels I have on hand. When her husband goes book shopping for her, he selects "something that nobody else would read."

Here is my one baseball prediction for the coming season: the Yankees will make the playoffs. Oh, how I hope I'm wrong!

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