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Life, actually…
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THE SHOP OF TRICKLE-DOWN BEAUTY
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“Omygod!”
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A first-time visitor bursts into the old bookstore and shouts his reaction.
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He is in awe of the unexpected sights on display before him.
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“This is wonderful!”
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He instantly begins to touch each ancient book and artifact as if making sure he is not dreaming.
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His broad smile pushes his eyeglasses upwards an inch, amazement flushes his face and forces grunts of appreciation into the bookie air.
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He spies the proprietor and eagerly asks, “Is everything here for sale?”
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Proprietor replies with tongue in cheek, “Yes. It is a store!” He and the customer chuckle in unison. The customer wanders the aisles in stunned awe. The proprietor awaits the customer’s next reactions.
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All the customer can see during his hour of browsing is the beauty and the wonder of old memories in display.
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He will pass along his thrill to family and friends for years to come. He will become an evangelist of things lost, then found, in an ancient shop.
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The visitor eventually exits the shop and leaves behind the echoes of his joy. The proprietor inhales the silence, brushes dust off a stack of volumes.
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“Geez, what a mess!”
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A new visitor enters the store, frowning his disdain for what is before him.
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“Is this a junk place?”
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“No, it’s a bookstore.”
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The visitor sniffs, casually opens a rare tome, says, “Does anybody ever buy this stuff?”
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The proprietor is patient. “Yes, we make a living.”
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“How do you know where anything is?” He fails to see order and logic.
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“I’m the owner. I know where everything is. I’m happy to find whatever you are looking for.”
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“Well, of course, a place like this probably doesn’t carry what I want.”
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The proprietor smiles. Nothing is going to sadden him this fine day.
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“You wouldn’t happen to have a copy of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, would you?”
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The proprietor walks past the customer, picks up a century-old unabridged CRISTO and hands it over. The customer, not expecting this, doesn’t quite know what to do with the book. He seems afraid to open it.
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“Uh, I would prefer a paperback (as in, less expensive) copy.”
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Proprietor reaches behind him and produces an abridged version of CRISTO and patiently exchanges it for the older copy.
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“Uh, yes, I’ll get this one.” He is surprised.
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As they walk to the front of the shop, they exchange pleasantries. The proprietor hopes for a return visit, the customer just wants to escape.
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The proprietor is an optimist. If he were not an optimist he would not be operating an old bookstore in a beautiful old village all these years. He even holds out hope for the disdainful customer, based on his own concept of trickle-down politeness. He knows that he has implanted an image in that customer’s mind—the customer will forever know that at least he was treated with patience and respect, he will forever know that, should a grandchild or neighbor wish to find a good read, this may be the shop he recommends.
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“This is so lovely! I knew I’d love this place.”
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The next customer arrives just in time to chase away the darkness
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© 2024 A.D. by Jim Reed
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