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January 09, 2006
Will sell books for money
This weekend, my friend Rita initiated me into the mysteries of having a market stall for the sole purpose of getting rid of some of my worldly possessions. She's a good woman, Rita. Without her, I wouldn't know what to wear so I can look decent.
I got up at 5 am after enrolling Hal, my partner, as a grumbling helper. I had been anxious all week about forty-degree heat waves. I might be originally from the Indian sub-continent but I don't like it hot. Have you got a spare hat, I whined to Rita. And an umbrella?
Tani who happens to be working for us today told me that it got up to fifty-two degrees at the Confest (hippie-like festival on the border of Victoria and NSW). Women were using spray bottles to cool their babies. People were standing in the lake and a hot wind was blow drying everyone.
But it was cool on my Sunday market morning. I came out of the house and then went back in to get my jacket. Watch out for dealers, Rita text'd me... after letting me know that she was running a half-hour late. They come with torches at 5.30 am and make you hand over the goods. Hal turned down into the exit lane because there was not many cars coming out. It was closer to our spot, he explained, and after putting my stuff out, went to park the car. We were under a tree and I worried about visibility. A couple of persons came over and tried to look inside the bottom-most box in the trolley. They asked, Have you got fiction? Maybe, I thought to myself, someone will buy the lot and I'll get to go home to bed. And I'll be able to do writing. And after I've done some of that, I'll feel better about myself.
I'd brought some magazines to read before they were sold. I was hoping for co-ordination. I did have a whole heap of computer books for older versions of graphics software but was sure they wouldn't sell. Rita turned up in her four-wheel drive and said, Is that all you got?
I went to get a rack from the hire place but this was a mistake because it was bigger than me. I returned for reinforcements and Hal was back so I pressed him into service. By eight o'clock, I was feeling good. It wasn't too hot yet and here I was chatting to Rita while people wandered in handling all the junk laid out for their benefit. It felt like I had gone out visiting friends and put out a collection hat. We were having cups of tea and I took out the brie from my esky. Hal was moaning about the lack of leaf tea. Then there was a run on my computer books. Someone told me off for selling them cheaply; said I'd get a packet for them on ebay. But I am not going down that track--don't have a minute to spare between my writing, my blog, my kids and being gopher for the family business.
That tree was a miracle. Each time I wentured out, I had to strip down--the sun was out in force. Hal sold more computer books while I was gone. My novels, out the front on trestle tables, started to wilt in the heat. One older lady asked me for the price on a recent issue of the Missouri review and I said $3.00. She put it down and walked off in a huff. Geez. My books had been immaculate when they arrived but now I could see thumb prints. Can you tell that I'm obsessive?
By closing time, it was hot everywhere but under my tree. I had money in my pocket from my computer books, Rita had cut her junk by half and Hal was surprised that it had been such a relaxed experience. Nothing like a food stall, he said, where you have to worry about running out of eating material, and having to heat stuff up and keep temperatures just so. I started thinking that I wouldn't mind doing this again, under this perfect tree, on another perfect day.
Posted by girija at January 9, 2006 08:56 PM
Comments
I've always loved hearing the details of your day, and now they will be collected!
Wish I could send you stuff we've purged after Katrina. There's no one in New Orleans who can take clothes/books/toiletries. The agencies have been deluged, and they're operating with v. small staffs.
Posted by: Pia | January 10, 2006 01:17 AM
Great reading, keep up the great posts.
Peace, JiggaDigga
Posted by: JiggaDigga | April 7, 2006 04:50 PM