I have to admit, opening a used bookstore has always been one of my romantic, "what if I won the lottery" idle musings. Communing with books and book people has always been one of my favourite pastimes.
Of course, I've always known that the reality of owning and operating a used bookstore is a far cry from my idle fantasy, especially in the Internet age.
This post more-or-less hits the nail on the head: This Is Why Your Used Bookstore Clerk Hates You.
You Stole All Our Bukowski
It's hard to keep Bukowski on the shelf when he keeps getting stuffed in the pants of street punks when no one is looking (but we are looking!). Although punks love him (he's so easy to read) so does the staff (Hank worked a menial job for years, drank an eternity, and still ended up famous). He provides hope for apprentice alcoholics who are going to start writing sometime tomorrow or Thursday for sure. If you do steal him, please sell him back to us when you're finished.
Hilarious and sad and oh, so perfect. Read the whole thing.
(Via Peter Brantley.)