Confessions of a Curious Bookseller(84)
To: Jack Grisby >
12:30 PM
What? What do you mean?
To: Jack Grisby >
12:35 PM
Is it gone? Get Bert!
To: Fawn Birchill >
12:36 PM
Why?
To: Jack Grisby >
12:37 PM
WHY?? Don’t ask why, just get him! I am leaving.
To: Jack Grisby >
12:38 PM
Are u okay? Sry I didn’t ask!
To: Jack Grisby >
12:38 PM
Jack???
From: Mark Nilsen
Sent: Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 7:16 AM
To: Fawn Birchill
Subject: Thank you
Hi Fawn,
Writing from home today—if I was in the area I would stop by, but it’s hard to come up there right now. I just want to say again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my cats. I honestly don’t know what I’d do if I had lost all of them too. I don’t know how to repay you or what to really say here. Just know that I’m thinking of you and hoping all the bruises and scrapes that you and Jack have endured heal quickly. You’re a really good person. Don’t let anyone, especially me, ever tell you otherwise.
See you soon,
Mark
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 9:09 AM
To: Mark Nilsen
Re: Thank you
Mark,
You need not thank me, but instead thank Jack. If he hadn’t texted me and made me think my own store had fallen into a hole, I probably wouldn’t have run from my father’s funeral to try to rescue the store. Imagine my fright!
Anyway, the cats’ agility and Jack’s quick timing really had everything to do with it. And then, climbing over fallen shelves that had poured onto the street, retrieving the animals, grabbing them by the scruff of their necks and pulling—I have never felt more useful in my life. It is a nice feeling, rescuing cats. I should do it more often! Next time, however, I’ll try not to get scratched so much.
Yes, I walked away with a few scrapes, and the firefighter who grabbed me off that one shelf certainly gave me quite a bruise, but it was all worth it! My bad back didn’t even cry out in protest. Even when the fireman yelled at me and said that what Jack and I were doing was extremely idiotic and dangerous, I didn’t regret a moment of it. I am so happy that we were able to save all five cats, even though most of your books were lost. Still, just think if you were open on Sundays. You might have lost not only books but all your loyal customers to the hellmouth. What a thought!
It is oft believed that firemen are the ones who save cats from precarious circumstances, but alas, I believe yesterday proved that it is only a fable, for those firemen didn’t seem interested in pulling any cats out of the store. I think they were hoping there would be people inside to rescue, so they became bored when they arrived to find there were only cats to save. Either that or all of them are dog people.
I can’t imagine the amount of duress you must be under right now. But! You are now in the safety of your home, where you can lick your wounds and hold your cats a little tighter tonight. Tomorrow will be a new day. An obvious notion, but inspiring all the same.
Also, you are young. You will simply take it on the chin and fight another day. Perhaps at another location?
Sincerely,
Fawn
From: Florence Eakins
Sent: Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 9:40 AM
To: Fawn Birchill
Subject: ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:03 AM
To: Florence Eakins
Re: ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!
Dear Florence,
After listening to your scathing voice mail, I wish not to subject myself to one of your ranting phone calls. No doubt you made sure that people were around to hear you—another reason I am abstaining from feeding your “heroic,” self-righteous displays in front of the family.
I feel as if I am in a position to defend myself for my “troubling behavior,” as you put it, at Father’s funeral. I wasn’t merely “texting,” as you say, as if I were an insolent teenager sending love notes. And the fact that you describe my physicality as “fidgety” is insulting at the very least.
I will have you know that halfway through the dreadfully morose proceedings, I received a text from my employee informing me that the store had fallen into a sinkhole. Now Jack, in his haste, failed to give proper context, and I was left to assume that my store had been destroyed when really it was my competitor’s store down the street. Still, I didn’t know this, so I ran out to save my business, my livelihood, and of course Bert. And you tell me that I was needlessly texting? You tell me that I was rude? I am only sorry that I didn’t explain it to you at the time. I wish I had known how important your opinion is, especially since (as you admit) you made sure the entire family knew just how I behaved at “my own father’s funeral.” Feel free to clear my name with the rest of the family. No doubt you will to save face. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to go around putting out your fire.
Best,
Fawn
From: Jack Grisby
Sent: Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:12 AM
To: Fawn Birchill
Subject: Day off
Hi Fawn,
Is it okay if I don’t go to work today and get a tetnis shot? Mom says I need one. How was the funeral? Do you like that I’m using more punctuation?