Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Conversation with Myself

Peter Orner's 'Love and Shame and Love' and Me, 2015

'You don't need a new book.'
'Then why are you in a used bookstore?'
'I don't know. It's like a disease...'
'You should just put that book back on the shelf.'
'But Peter Orner is tempting me with drawings of Lake Michigan in winter and Mavis Gallant quotes.'
'Just shut the book.'
'If I don't buy books all the bookstores will close. Life will have no meaning!'
'Shut it!'
'No! Okay, fine.'

22 comments:

  1. I'm glad you think so, Shari. Thanks for saving me. I was feeling quite alone here, just me and my odd sense of humor. ;)

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  2. This cracks me up, especially since I can hear your voice saying the lines in my head.

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  3. I have the very same conversation every time I find myself in a book shop - do you think there's a cure?

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  4. ha ha
    but it's a good disease.
    and those drawings! irresistible.

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    1. Yes, good. I agree, Nancy. The drawings are by his older brother, Eric Orner.

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  5. This one is totally worth it. Hope you enjoy Orner's words, I've loved evrything he's done. Especially Esther.

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    1. I didn't buy it! I'll have to get my hands on a copy.

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  6. I am likewise afflicted and my husband is constantly navigating the piles of books.

    I'd have been tempted by that sketch as well!

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  7. I vote with your other voice and say go on back and buy the book! It's up to us to keep those independent bookstores alive. And it looks like a lovely book.

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    1. I went back and it was gone... I've added it to my list. I'll get to it. ;)

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  8. I do this all the time and it's why I have piles of books all over my house. I love those piles of books.

    The disappointing thing is learning that the reasonable voice in your head won out! ;) I think life is too short to not buy the book.

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  9. You don't know how tiny our apartment is, but still...I did go back to buy it. Someone else had already scooped it up. Maybe that copy was meant for someone else. ;)

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  10. I leaned in to the computer for a closer read of the quote, and was glad I did: Childhood recollection as hallucination-- gotta agree with that one.

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  11. This sounds familiar! You've perfectly captured a universal moment.

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