Confessions of a Curious Bookseller(5)
I wish you well.
—Rich
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Fri, Nov 9, 2018 at 2:02 PM
To: Richard Saunders
Re: You and I
Richard,
You’re right: I apologize. That was over the line. I get very sensitive when people are petty. You are a kind man with many excellent qualities that I know someone else will appreciate. I am just too busy right now. And yes, if you must know, the soup really pushed me over the edge. But this is about my father, let me remind you, and not the soup or your childish love of freight trains.
To leave this on a positive note, thank you very much for the estate sale contact. Did you say he would reach out to me? If so, I will wait to hear from him. I am excited to see the kind of volume he has. You are a true friend to think of me. Keep in touch.
Best,
Fawn
From: Jacob Whitney
Sent: Mon, Nov 12, 2018 at 7:55 PM
To: Fawn Birchill
Subject: Books for sale
Greetings!
Our mutual friend, Richard, mentioned you might be interested in some of my late grandfather’s books. He was quite the collector, as you will find. For example, I have some first-edition Faulkners and a second edition of The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot. Also, I have a lot of Mark Twain. I would be happy to work something out with you and support your store in this way.
Regards,
Jacob
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Mon, Nov 12, 2018 at 8:12 PM
To: Jacob Whitney
Re: Books for sale
Dear Mr. Whitney,
Thank you for your interest in my bookstore and for reaching out to me. My store has two floors of used books (some rather rare) and a basement full of inventory waiting to go up on the shelves. That said, I would be happy to take whatever you have. May I ask: What exactly do you mean by, “I have a lot of Mark Twain”? I’ll take it all regardless, but I’m already running out of room in the basement, so I have to be somewhat cautious. What is your price, and can you send me a manifest?
This is quite fortuitous timing, as a new bookstore (literally a block away) is opening its doors later this month, and I am strategizing ways to stand apart. There was an article in the paper about how it will have cats and a coffee shop / bar inside, which worries me—but only slightly, as the article left out nearly any mention of the types of books they will be selling. Either it’s bad journalism or someone at that store is covering up the fact that its inventory is shamefully scarce!
Additionally, thank you for your kind words. They say times are changing, and I see it myself: everyone in Philadelphia has an electronic reading device like a Kindle or an iPad, it seems. But I think there are still people out there who want to hold on to the printed page like a newborn baby or a small animal—gently, lovingly, and viscerally. And even though I see a resurgence in people’s interest in books and the independent bookstore (thank god!), my store, it seems, is left behind. It is a truth I regularly keep from my staff, for if while on the raging seas a captain points out a leak in the hull, she might find her weaker crew members abandoning ship, which is not the result I seek. I suppose a captain would tell her crew the ship was sinking only if it were absolutely necessary to do so. No need to stir up panic just because of a little deficit in the finances. It’s not as if I am looking to file for bankruptcy! Anyway, let us keep that between us businesspeople, shall we? I will catch this wave and ride it yet, and I believe your books may be just the ticket. For that, I thank you.
Will it be possible to deliver the books prior to Black Friday?
Sincerely,
Fawn Birchill, Owner, The Curious Cat Book Emporium
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Tue, Nov 13, 2018 at 10:45 AM
To: Staff
Subject: Store Cleaning
Dear Staff,
I will be staying late on Thursday to do a quick cleaning of the store. It should take only a few hours. I need some willing volunteers because I can’t do it on my own or I’ll be cleaning until 3 a.m. again.
A general note: do not leave the toilet seat up. That goes for the ladies too. PLEASE, SHUT THE LID. Butterscotch likes to play in the water, and last time somebody not only left the lid up, but they also didn’t bother to flush.
Many thanks,
Fawn, Owner
November 14, 2018
My only tenant, an elderly woman named Jane, is so quiet that I sometimes worry she’s dead. There are spans of time in which I don’t hear a thing from her—not even running water or a flushing toilet. Last night was such a circumstance, where it dawned on me that it had been three days since I’d heard anything. I had leftover chicken parmesan, so I crept downstairs with it. The last time I’d spoken with her was when I had to go in to collect a couple of dead mice in their traps; the woman hates rodents. So I pushed open the door and said hello. She was very surprised to see me and grateful for the chicken. However, she spoke to me while holding a tissue to her nose, claiming to be ill. She directed me to put her dinner in the refrigerator and to stay away from her, as she was contagious. I wanted to clean up all the tissues scattered on the floor, but she wouldn’t let me, so I didn’t push the subject. She is a very nice woman, and I think she might appreciate a home-cooked meal from time to time.
I received an email from my pen pal, Gregory, tonight! It was just what I needed to brighten my evening. Now to my tradition of pouring a large glass of wine, turning on Chopin, and replying.