when i was young.

the day's best quote: "i assure you the cough isn't contagious- i'm just old and dying."

this woman was @ least 80+ big gnarled hands, tall, slightly hunched and sloping physique, white hair pulled back. it took some patience to understand her. bcs she spoke slowly as each second ticked by processing her thoughts, but she smelled like my great grandmother so i was willing to hang in there- she was passed off by one of my co-workers who thought when she was saying she "wanted a book from the period" meant a girl's period, or getting your period... instead of time period, when he put these books into my hand- about a "girls thing" i asked her uh, did you want these? she snickered and said, "hell no." i'm convinced she let the guy think whatever he wanted and was having a little fun with him. then she said after a while, well no use us both standing here trying to figure it out but i seemed hard pressed to leave her on such a indecisive note, so i showed her and told her about the american doll books, learned that the 'kid' went to montossori schools, that she got whatever she wanted, was damn bright and apparently so was the 'wife'... but she didn't want to spend too much, and she thought though louisa alcott was appropriate, found it awfully dull... i failed to suggest anything spicier except anne of green gables but there were no beautifully bound and illustrated copies to be had out there so she left with some old fashioned samantha paperdolls, which seemd to fit the bill... she said, well, i'd just be damn (couldn't quite think of the word) damn, happy... maybe? tickled, privilaged or plum-full-over- if she'd gotten a doll like that when she was young or a house to play with, just damn.... lost in thought... something. and i'd wished there'd been some chairs or a spell to ask her all about it, but then "miss, is there... do you have, work here, could you... " and the laborious day passed.