Serendipity

                                           
                                                           The morning rush-hour.

Dearest Emily,

I could try to tell you that it's a grind going to work, that the traffic is awful, it's boring and a drudge.
But that would be a bare-faced lie. A 20 minute cycle along a leafy old railway track, met 4 people along the way- all who said hello, and two dogs wagging tails like helicopters.

Bought my croissant, sent two Ebay packages in the Post Office without a queue, who tell me tips on the best way to send things and sang Happy Birthday to me last month. Opened up the shop, kettle on, coffee poured, knitting out and David Copperfield to read.

GiGi embraced Smug today, with both arms, twice...

First customer enquires as to whether we have a copy of 'Adolf Hitler, my part in his downfall' by Spike Milligan.

GiGi stands up, reaches left, and hands him a copy. Oh the joy! Customer happy, GiGi smug.

And again later;

Customer; " Have you got a copy of 'Diary of a Nobody?'

Me;           " Who is it by " ( as in Somebody )

Customer  " I don't know "

Me;           " I've seen it somewhere, but it'll help if we get the authors name.

Customer dutifully leaves to find a signal for his iphone and look up Nobody's name.

A few minutes later happy customer, happy seller, plus after reading the info on the fly-leaf who Nobody was- a Victorian Actor called Grossmith who wrote it and his brother illustrated it. Plus it was serialised in Punch.
My lovely customer also told me where he had heard about the book, which was in a serialised Radio 4 version of 'Dear Lupin' by Roger and Charlie Mortimer. I had heard this, and found it hilarious and touching. It's a letter memoir spanning 25 years from a Father to his wayward Son and it touched me how affectionate the letters always were, though the scrapes his son got into would vex and try the nerves of any parent. Apparently Roger Mortimer addressed the letther 'Dear Lupin' as he saw himself as 'Pootles' a character in the Gressinge book.

A few Gems for you in this my dear Em;

1. If GiGi had the internet at work ( she would like that ) BUT- her brain wouldn't know where the books were. Because my darling girl, something happens when you have to know where things are and time is a pressing- they find you somehow.

2. It is quite nice to feel smug occasionally.


3. When you find a book that's your customer's hearts desire, you inevitably find something for yourself.

So now, as I've sold the only copy I'm going to download it free here-
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1026

Who knows what leads where little Emily, but its all there and recorded through time and experience, for the future to enjoy.

More next week, got to see a man about a dog tomorrow...

Love GiGi xxx