“Wednesday, I had such high hopes and even expectations for you, even after the tentative original plans fell through.”

Wednesday went the same zigzagged, ever changing path as Sunday afternoon/evening, all of Monday, and all of Tuesday. Before Tuesday was over, Wednesday was all rescheduled. 

The new item was taking over 200 books to to resell at 2nd & Charles at nearby Town & Country shopping plaza. These books had been sitting in my living room for months due to my slow process of downsizing. My former student, now much beloved friend, Alex Loree, agreed to take me there several months ago but when that day arrived, my body was not cooperating. At the last minute, this morning became the target day.  

I called 2nd & Charles about 45 minutes prior to our delivery time to ask if we needed a reservation. John, the associate on the phone, said no reservation was needed, and that they take all kinds of books, CDs, vinyl records, and original covers, DVDs, and games. He listed several other items, but they were immaterial to my needs.  

Alex and I packed up all the books. There were quite a few I had owned for 45+ years. I am intent on downsizing, and sadly I need to part with books that are no longer needed. At the customer, service counter, the young gal said that I needed to grab three white bins against the to carry my books. I asked if they took more than three of these filled white bins as John had never said anything over the phone. Her response? “That’s too bad but this is our policy.“ I wasn’t challenging the policy, but concerned that John had omitted their process of buying back items

Alex and I loaded three of those damn white bins with books and CDs and brought them to the counter. As she looked through the items, she said that they were not taking CDs.

“Why didn’t John mention this when I called over the phone 45 minutes ago? He specifically said you were taking Cds.“ She shrugged.

She took down all my information and checked my drivers license. She asked for my phone number so they could call me when they had finished sorting through everything and to offer a price. Sure. 

“I’ll call you the minute we finish this.”

I thanked her and explained that it would be great since Alex and I could grab some lunch. 

Alex and I went to Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant on Main Street in Centerville. It was great to see him again, and to catch up on our lives since we last saw one another in April. We live about four blocks apart, but our schedules have not permitted us the luxury of time together.

Finally, at 2:30 PM, I suggested that we just go ahead and return to the bookstore. When I walked in, I saw all my books, still in the three white bins on the counter. I told the associate that I thought they were going to call me to let me know they were finished with the evaluation.

“Oh, I guess we forgot.“ 

There was no ounce of an apology or regret. Then she went on to explain that none of my books could be purchased because they were all too old.

“Too old?”

“Yeah, they’re just not going to sell for us.”

I knew it was pointless to ask further questions so Alex and I put the books back into my milk crates and decided to drive to Goodwill where I would donate them.

At the Goodwill store, they hauled out all of the books and gave me a receipt. As we were leaving the parking lot, I noticed I did not have my cane in the car with me. Alex drove back around

 to where we had dropped off the books and they did not have the cane. He and I agreed that I had probably left it at the bookstore. Yes. That’s where I had left it.

Ironically, the name of the cane from the company is called Big Alex.

I’ve been home an hour, and I’m on the still damp deck with The FabFive. I’m tired, exasperated, humorless, and quite pissed with the day’s continuing comedy of errors and crashing events.

Today’s exception and saving grace was spending time with Alex. 

Suck It & Charles = -1000 – always my go-to bookstore, but now I’m no longer a faithful customer.

Time with Alex = immeasurable and grateful.