20

Reaching for your wallet, several cigarettes tumble out of the soft-pack that had been inefficiently shoved into a suit pocket. Someday they’ll start making these in a box. The clerk is much more interested in eyeing a family of suspected shop lifters than your transaction, but still manages to round the price off by a penny to save his ( Read more... )

19

“Other wares” usually means books and suits, with a brief detour through the records and at the jewelry counter. The spines of the books inspire you to someday build shelves and have a great library, with a globe and a pedestalled unabridged dictionary. You’d name it something pun-ny. But something that nearly always happens to you when you ( Read more... )

11

You’ve only been called to jury duty twice, and each time when offered the opportunity to donate your compensation, you’ve always chosen this place as the recipient. The Friends of The Family Thrift Store proudly proclaims that all of its proceeds are geared toward helping the victims of domestic violence. It feels nice to shop here, and ( Read more... )

32

A rusty Royal in its battered beige case turns up from beneath a bunch of computer keyboards. Luckily, this model currently resides (in much better shape) in an identical case, secreted in a corner of your collection. Twenty dollars is much too steep for this well-worn warrior, and you sigh as the case clicks shut. But this does remind you ( Read more... )

27

“Better things” usually means books and suits, with a brief detour through the records and at the jewelry counter. The spines of the books inspire you to someday build shelves and have a great library, with a globe and a pedestalled unabridged dictionary. You’d name it something pun-ny. You’re seeing quite a few interesting spines… You ( Read more... )

73

The sun is still shouting at the asphalt, and even the grackles are panting from the oppressive heat of the day. You hold the door for an old man, who has tired of holding the door for his old woman as she exits the fabric store with a basket full of bolts and yarn. Who could think of knitting at a time like this? Subconsciously, a cigarette ( Read more... )

65

While the walk itself had no really redeemable features, it did remind you that you probably should find facilities. The bladder shrinks when books are browsed. The fabric store is your best bet, and once more, you traipse along the covered side of the strip mall ( Read more... )

15

Life is divided into these divergent lines. Choices that lead to outcomes. There are good choices, and bad choices. You could break your brain trying to backtrack. One would love to be able to always establish satisfactory causality, but one is never, ever offered an opportunity to know for sure.

This was a good choice.

For it is on this ( Read more... )