Post by Jenn on May 28, 2013 15:21:55 GMT -8
Sarah walked into the tiny storefront emblazoned with “Rare Books” on its window. She nodded to the older man at the cash register as she looked around. He nodded back. “Looking for anything in particular?”
Sarah smiled and shook her head. “I just heard of this place through word of mouth and knew I had to come look for myself.”
“Ah, book collector.”
“Yes.”
He closed his book, the new Dan Brown paperback, and smiled. “Anything in particular?”
Sarah walked to one of the stacks and glanced at it. Standard classics. Some first edition. Some not. “I tend to look to Babylonian and Assyrian books but more generally, antique occult literature. Antique religious literature if it has an occult bent.”
He tilted his head and looked at her, seeing the pretty brunette she wanted him to see. “Grad student?”
“No. Just… interested. I like old books. I like the language they use.”
Drumming his fingers on the dark wood countertop, he gave her a speculative look. “You can read other languages?”
She nodded.
“You interested in something a little more modern? I have an interesting book on Christian magic.”
Sarah walked to the countertop and gave him a winning smile boosted by her preternatural charm. “That sounds like something up my alley.”
“I just posted an estate sale to a private list of clients. But no one’s picked this one book yet. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” He pulled his sweater vest straight and nodded at her. “Lemme get it.”
As he disappeared into the back, Sarah pulled a pair of white cotton gloves from her purse and put them on. The proprietor smiled as he returned and saw this. He had his own pair of white gloves on. “Here it is. The Spirit Land by S. B. Emmons. First edition, 1859.”
Sarah looked at it as he set it on a padded pillow on the countertop. “Not bad. Wear on the flatboards, binding’s sound, but chipping on the cover and no slipcover.”
He shook his head. “This one didn’t come with one. It’s an interesting read.”
She gave him another winning smile as she flipped through the pages. It looked interesting and definitely heretical. “All right. I’m sold. How much?” Sarah smiled all the more as a keen look appeared in his eye and he looked her over, taking in her expensive purse and jacket.
“$400 but since you’re here and I don’t have to ship it, I can let it go for $350.”
“This type of book goes for about $250 on the regular market.” She shrugged.
“A man has to make a living. I’ve got this store to keep in business. $325.”
Sarah nodded. “I’d like to keep you in business. $300.”
He grinned. “It’s a deal. I’m Mike Drin, owner and proprietor.”
“Sarah Smith.” She watched his eyes widen as she counted out $300 in cash. “A pleasure. So, Mr. Drin… how does one get on this list of private clients to see your new stock before the rest of the rabble does?”
The cash disappeared. “By being a good customer and handing me your email address. And, please, call me Mike.”
“I can do both, Mike.” Sarah slid a business card to him with her name and email address on it. It was the beginning of a profitable relationship for them both.
Sarah smiled and shook her head. “I just heard of this place through word of mouth and knew I had to come look for myself.”
“Ah, book collector.”
“Yes.”
He closed his book, the new Dan Brown paperback, and smiled. “Anything in particular?”
Sarah walked to one of the stacks and glanced at it. Standard classics. Some first edition. Some not. “I tend to look to Babylonian and Assyrian books but more generally, antique occult literature. Antique religious literature if it has an occult bent.”
He tilted his head and looked at her, seeing the pretty brunette she wanted him to see. “Grad student?”
“No. Just… interested. I like old books. I like the language they use.”
Drumming his fingers on the dark wood countertop, he gave her a speculative look. “You can read other languages?”
She nodded.
“You interested in something a little more modern? I have an interesting book on Christian magic.”
Sarah walked to the countertop and gave him a winning smile boosted by her preternatural charm. “That sounds like something up my alley.”
“I just posted an estate sale to a private list of clients. But no one’s picked this one book yet. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” He pulled his sweater vest straight and nodded at her. “Lemme get it.”
As he disappeared into the back, Sarah pulled a pair of white cotton gloves from her purse and put them on. The proprietor smiled as he returned and saw this. He had his own pair of white gloves on. “Here it is. The Spirit Land by S. B. Emmons. First edition, 1859.”
Sarah looked at it as he set it on a padded pillow on the countertop. “Not bad. Wear on the flatboards, binding’s sound, but chipping on the cover and no slipcover.”
He shook his head. “This one didn’t come with one. It’s an interesting read.”
She gave him another winning smile as she flipped through the pages. It looked interesting and definitely heretical. “All right. I’m sold. How much?” Sarah smiled all the more as a keen look appeared in his eye and he looked her over, taking in her expensive purse and jacket.
“$400 but since you’re here and I don’t have to ship it, I can let it go for $350.”
“This type of book goes for about $250 on the regular market.” She shrugged.
“A man has to make a living. I’ve got this store to keep in business. $325.”
Sarah nodded. “I’d like to keep you in business. $300.”
He grinned. “It’s a deal. I’m Mike Drin, owner and proprietor.”
“Sarah Smith.” She watched his eyes widen as she counted out $300 in cash. “A pleasure. So, Mr. Drin… how does one get on this list of private clients to see your new stock before the rest of the rabble does?”
The cash disappeared. “By being a good customer and handing me your email address. And, please, call me Mike.”
“I can do both, Mike.” Sarah slid a business card to him with her name and email address on it. It was the beginning of a profitable relationship for them both.
