Confessions of a Curious Bookseller(86)
Love you,
Mother
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Sun, Jul 21, 2019 at 2:12 PM
To: Tabitha Birchill
Re: Will
Mother,
Of course I’ll be there, although I can’t imagine there is much to be gained for any of us. As Father promised, he wanted to give his money to the church, and he keeps his promises. This is the same church that has a brand-new playground, gorgeous facilities, and state-of-the-art sound system for their concerts. The pastor of this same church drives around in a Benz, I believe—or so he did the last time I saw him a few years ago. Is he invited to hear the will as well? He might as well be, since I’m sure he will be reaping the benefits of my late father more than you, Florence, or I will.
Fawn
July 21, 2019
It would be refreshing to hear that Father has given his inheritance to Florence and me, but that would be far too perfect. So it will never happen. With a little money, I could repair the store: fix the rotting foundation, buy a new heating system, eradicate the mold problem, hire a maid, fix the wooden floors, repair the sagging steps on the stairs, repair the shutters, fix the few smashed-in windows, landscape the small lawn outside, buy a nice new sign, purchase some new books to sell. I could turn a corner. I could rise like a phoenix from the ashes of my father’s death and be whole again, and Mark Nilsen would be nothing but a blip in the distant dark past. And with all of that, I wouldn’t be ashamed to invite Florence and her family over. I wouldn’t be ashamed to bring a romantic interest around.
But how could I be ashamed of my little empire? Though it isn’t perfect, it is not worthy of shame. It is perhaps a reflection of who I am and what I have worked so hard for, and maybe my great expectations have imploded in my face. But isn’t that reality? Do we ever live up to what we thought we would be? And so here I am, but am I ashamed? Was Father ever ashamed? His store was a disaster even in its heyday. And then, those last hard years when he started to cognitively decline and I had to do everything to keep the store running so my parents could pay their bills. And Florence, who did nothing to help but instead found excuse after excuse, hiding behind a voice lesson for Little Joe or a work event at the office. And even in those hard days, my father was not ashamed. He ran his ship into the rocks with more pride than was good for him. And when I didn’t want his failing store, it hurt him more than I would ever know. That was to be my inheritance, so the reading of his will is going to be pointless for me because the one thing he ever wanted to give me was that store, and I didn’t take it. Instead, I forged my own path, and I know it broke his heart to see that. And a part of me is sorry that I made him feel that way.
From: Jack Grisby
Sent: Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 8:09 AM
To: Fawn Birchill
Subject: The Sale Cart
Hi Fawn,
The sale cart lost it’s wheel. I can’t attach it again so I don’t know what to do.
Jack
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 8:55 AM
To: Jack Grisby
Re: The Sale Cart
Jack,
Simply drag it outside and prop it upright with a book. I’ll be down in a moment.
Fawn, Owner
From: Jack Grisby
Sent: Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 9:07 AM
To: Fawn Birchill
Re: The Sale Cart
But what if someone wanted to buy that book? That is a lost sale. Or if they see it they will pull it out and look at it and then the book shelf will topple maybe. Can I put a not for sale sign on it?
Jack
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 9:23 AM
To: Jack Grisby
Re: The Sale Cart
Jack,
I doubt anyone will notice the book and want to buy it if it’s shoved under a mobile bookshelf, but if it would make you feel better to put a NOT FOR SALE sign on it, then by all means do so.
Fawn, Owner
From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 11:40 AM
To: Jack Grisby
Re: The Sale Cart
Jack,
Please don’t put the sign on the cart itself, as the books within it are most certainly for sale. I have moved the sign and placed it only on the book. Was it like that this whole time?
Fawn, Owner
Fawn Birchill/CuriousCatBooks/6m
Outdoor sale today on romance books! Come peruse the Love Cart! Always 20% off!
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From: Fawn Birchill
Sent: Tue, Jul 23, 2019 at 7:00 AM
To: O’Hare Repair
Subject: Basement Flood
Dear Cahill,
Hello! Remember me? It has been too long—which is a good thing, I daresay, as I haven’t needed your services until now! How are the boys? I am requesting a quote for a basement flood. Do you handle those? The rain last night did a number on the basement and ended up saturating nearly every old book that I have stored down there. My employee, Jack, has been wading through five inches of water all day pulling the books out and dragging them up to the empty apartment adjacent to mine for the time being. The water smells terrible, so I wonder if all of it isn’t rainwater and perhaps Jack has been wading in some questionable fluids. Can you let me know what you would charge to suck up the water and reinforce the basement so that this does not happen again?