My local bookshop

Our friend Birgitta runs a very nice bookshop in the
centre of Stockholm. She has an extremely cynical
sense of humour and we have made it a sport
always to argue with each other.

The other day when I came in to her store she looked
a bit confused and walked around me in circles before
she finally said:

-I read your book and I must say it was very good!

I was stunned and I almost had to sit down.
But she was being honest, she really liked my book
of poems.

Today I was in the bookshop again and my book was
on display in the window. I was proud, of course, but
when I was about to leave Birgitta said:

-But that was a horrible photo of you in the book,
really awful!

It's great to be back to normal again.




Published in Chiron Review #71, 2003