Borders
Topic: Books
When my sister and I were kids and we would come to the States on vacation, my father would take us to a Borders or a Barnes and Noble and say,

"OK kids, you can get as many books as you want."

I would drag myself over to the magic books and pick out one or two, then go back and beg him to step away from the History section, pick up his huge stack of books, and please get out of here and maybe stop by a Circuit Ciy, Kaybee toys, or Kids R Us.

In those days I wanted video games, not books.

Oh how things have changed.

But this past week, my parents were in town and I was hopeful that maybe we could relive a little of the ol' past. Of the good times.

So we went to Borders and I asked him straight up if the old rules applied (I phrased it as a joke in case it didn't so he wouldn't feel bad about it and I wouldn't feel completely dejected, which I would've anyway).

He looked at me like someone who might pose a threat to some sort of master plan, someone much too big to take on by himself.

Reluctantly, as if to tell me that he simply can't afford all the books I would want, he agreed, "Va, OK."

So off I went and after five minutes was lost among the stacks of books, not being able to remember a single title off my page long list of "books to buy."

So I got a golf book, two best american books, james frey's book, A Brave New World... WHat else what else?

I felt like I was on Supermarket Sweep and couldn't find the damn can of soup with the 5,000 dollars on it, even though it was right in front of my face.

So I picked up more books: Gravity's Rainbow, Stephen King's Tower series (the box set), and a Poets and Writers magazine. This, I felt, was enough. I had missed my chance years ago and now this was my punishment - having to say to myself, "this is enough."

So my dad bought the books and off we went into Michigan Avenue's cold, dark sidewalks.

And we went by this guy on the sidewalk begging for change.

Then another one with a sign: "I'm just hungry."

Then I said good night, got in a cab, and found myself flying up Lakeshore with the big, full moon floating over Lake Michigan.

And I wanted to throw the books out the window, run into the lake, and cry.

But I didn't. And this is the way it is.