I Read Good

It's a sad thought now walking down Park Avenue and seeing empty real estate space on the NE corner at 57th. That empty real estate space used to be a Borders bookstore. That was my go to place to catch up on all my magazine reading. I went to that Borders for years. I know all the secret areas with the nice black leather seats and the hidden (re: clean) bathrooms on the basement level. I almost feel guilty that the majority of the Borders closed because people like me exist. I loved that Borders but never bought anything in there. I would abuse the magazine section and sometimes even read books in there but never once did I actually purchase anything. Oops. I only decided to start buying books there once the company went under when they were practically giving away books; 35-50 percent off. I went into Borders the last day they were opened to do my last magazine read in my basement corner chair. It was too depressing; the magazines were from two or three months ago and the chairs were gone. I felt sick. I vowed to myself to start to buy more books from actual bookstores, no more of that Amazon.com bullshit.

I venture up to the Barnes and Noble on 86th street the next week to buy the new Derek Jeter biography. I ask for paperback, obviously because its half the price, no dice. Only hardcover. 26 bucks, thanks but no thanks! I read the newest Vanity Fair and GQ and I was gone. I could buy two vodka tonics for that kind of money at Lavo.

That following weekend my sister comes into town and wants to check out this used bookstore downtown called Strand. I've heard of it but never went inside. The name freaks me out. Reminds me of AIDS or something sickly but we decide to go and its actually a very cool place. Their slogan is 8 miles of used and new books. I feel a little better that they have new books. My sister is proud that I seem interested in the bookstore that she offers up to buy me a book. Even the new books are cheaper. She buys me the new Jeter book for 6 bucks off. Not bad for the same exact book at Barnes and Noble. So now I'm on the Strand bandwagon. Shit, now thinking about it, I hope Barnes and Noble doesn't go under. Sorry, but I need to save as much money as possible. "Hey, I'm Retired at 28!"