Showing posts with label portland maine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label portland maine. Show all posts

Sunday, January 3, 2010

This adrenaline surge brought to you by Crane Stationary


still Jan 2, 2009

Stopped by Paper Patch, stationary store on Exchange Street. Struggling-along little place. Standing in front of the Crane Stationary section (small, but there) I felt a surge of energy, exhilaration almost flow through me. At the checkout I asked the shopkeeper if she had fountain pen cartridges and she referred me to another shop (which I couldn't ultimately find).

When I explained my project, her eyes lit up like someone had just given her a pony. There was hope in her face.

*

Stopped by Longfellow Books and asked after postcard books and the book Brenda mentioned yesterday about the folks who spent a year trying not to buy anything. The booksellers looked it up for me.

I explained this project and the guy who was helping me said, "My job would be impossible without the internet. I just looked this up online for you." He seemed almost insulted. I said, "yes, but I had to talk to you, and I've never talked to you before." That seemed to help. Later I wished I'd said, "Yes, but because of this, I'm buying books from YOU." Of course couldn't leave without a gorgeous library edition of Walden and a half-price copy of The Polar Express.

***Must be careful not to spend too much money while doing this project.***