A lot of books. On magic, poetry, art, mysticism, history.
I make a pile of the ones I want. Soon I have eleven and the pile is so big that a lady comes over with a box for me to put them in. Thank you, I say.
I ask her her name. She says, It’s Margaret. I ask her how much she would like for the books. Oh, five pounds, she says. This is a good price and I am happy to pay it. I say, These are very good books. Where did you get them all? A house clearance, she says. He was an artist.
I say, How long have you been doing house clearing?
She says, More years than I care to remember!
I say, Really, how many years?
Four years, she says.