I successfully avoided the Strand Annex closing sale in August, but their time was extended and I got an e-mail that all books are now $1 and the last day is this Sunday, so how could I not go? Armed with my lists of wants and haves, I headed downtown. I'm unfamiliar with the area, but the subway let out right there. The store was bigger than I thought, and (miracle) the main fiction section was even alphabetized (though not perfectly, which could be the fault of the people browsing). I methodically went through my list for each fiction shelf, then eyed the shelf again in case something was out of order.
After that, I didn't have much energy for thoroughly checking the other books, which were not in order, and sometimes not even in their correct labeled subject areas. Plus I already had 19 heavy books, so I subwayed home. They were open until 9, though, and I got home in time to make a second trip. While I could do this on Saturday, the stock (though still pretty extensive) was being depleted by the second, so the earlier the better.
So BACK down I went, arriving at 7. I had done the back part of the store, and found the rest much more disorganized. Due to the clutter, book-buying fatigue, and the time factor, I was much less methodical, throwing books in my basket indiscriminately (oh, that looks good...).
A store employee said, "Excuse me..." and I thought I might be doing something wrong ("We're sorry, you're in the way of the other customers"). But no, he recognized me from "Wordplay" and asked me to sign a book to "Maud." They had few puzzle books (I got "My Other Boyfriend is Way Hotter" with Deb Amlen puzzles) but he provided his own NYT collection. Later, the cashier I had both times thanked me for signing the book, so maybe she was Maud and couldn't get away from her post. I hope she didn't notice my trashy taste in books (darn, I was going to get "War and Peace" in the original Russian, but they were out so I was forced to buy items like "The Hot Flash Club Chills Out" and a "Desperate Housewives" instabook). (UPDATE: Oh, look what Google Alerts found)
Final damages: 35 books, $35 + tax. I have to catalogue those and the large backpile overtaking my sofa, so I'll probably find out I bought something I recently acquired. I need to update the lists for the Housing Works outdoor book sale next weekend. Sigh, where will I put all this? At least this habit isn't physically harmful or super-expensive.
Movie update to follow.
