The woman behind the counter of Borders is incredibly amazing. She's helped us hundreds of times.
She's not the sort of person who gives you a glazed over look because she's tired of you; tired of trying to find those titles and authors not quite complete in your thoughts.
Typical: "I'm not sure. The author's name has something to do with breakfast. I was just at Red's staring at my plate but I couldn't think of it."
"Could it be...Dave Eggers?"
"Yes! The title of the book is weird too."
"That'd be What is the What. I'll be right back." She smiles. She's gone.
As I walk through the aisles thinking about this amazing clerk and this convenient store, my eyes well up. I feel really silly for crying.
There were bright yellow signs everywhere saying 40-50% off, and price stickers on fixtures. Everything must go. I was listening to her talking about a wonderful, independent bookstore a couple of miles away when I had a vision straight out of Inception.
The carpet was sliding, book stacks falling, glass shattering, whirlwinds blowing: oh gravity...the whole bookstore was sucked into the vortex. All moving. Unremitting destruction. A whole industry is lurching sideways in a creaking hulk behind this little bookstore with a big, corporate name.
My attention turns to a lone shelf still wavering in the spiral. Leathery-looking vinyl e-book cases are slightly wobbling.
She's telling someone about how she'll be okay. She's going to stay home with her young son, and she's never been able to do that. She's really glad it seems.
I can still hear her voice, as if she isn't already gone.
I didn't give the Border's bankruptcy much thought until earlier this week, as we didn't have a store here locally. But it hit home on Sunday when we were awaiting our flight out of SeaTac for Las Vegas. There, all shuttered up, was the SeaTac Border's we used to frequent for autographed copies of books whenever we were in Seattle.
ReplyDeleteIt was by far the best, most comprehensive airport bookstore I've ever browsed, and I felt a pang of regret that it was gone. But then I felt a pang of hunger, so after peering inside at the now barren shelving that remained, we moved on for a bowl of clam chowder at the SeaTac Anthony's. Pangs are funny that way.
Anyway, I'll certainly miss that great store. And I regret that you've lost the services of such a great book-loving bookseller. There are far too few book lovers selling books at the major chains, which is but one of many problems with them.
I have to agree with your last thought. This woman was almost like a store proprietor because she took such an interest in helping people. It also makes me think about job-loss. It's strange how new technologies transform the markets.
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