I found a bookstore that was probably my equivalent of paradise.

I spent all of my summer working; six day weeks on top of a promotion are almost guaranteed to burn you out. And by god did they ever. I'm pretty sure I've spent most of my time not at work sleeping because it had worn me down so much.

This did not amuse one of my very good friends because he'd seen me maybe twice all summer. So he suggested I take a few days off and go with him to stay at his family's condo on the beach down in Beaufort. I'd be lying if I said I didn't question the idea at first; we haven't had the most consistent relationship. Namely because I'm the queen of letting someone get close and then running for the hills when they irritate me/get too close. Both of which he has accomplished. But for some reason he puts up with it. I'll stop talking to him for three months at a time if I can't deal with him and since we do start talking again its quite literally as though nothing has happened. He's also asked me to go with him to the beach at least six times and this was the first one I agreed to.

Anyways, the second day down there we visited downtown Beaufort. Which is tiny but utterly fantastic. Before I can even look around he grabs my hand and drags me down this row of shops and into this used bookstore.

And I kid you not, I though he'd just taken me into Narnia. What I had imagined to be just a used bookstore turned out to be Land of the Boss Ass Antique Books.

It took me roughly fifteen minutes to actually be able to comprehend anything, and when I could I stumbled across an entire set of original print Land of Oz books that were wrapped in plastic covers and I was too scared to touch.

The I found a perfectly kept Pride and Prejudice hardback that was printed in the early 1900's and I was like IM BUYING THIS and then I looked at the price and I Was like I AM NOT BUYING THIS because it was $100 dollars.

My friend found me at that point and drug me to the back of the shop where there was a glass case with AN ORIGINAL PRINT FIRST EDITION COPY OF THE GREAT GATSBY IN IT AND I ALMOST CRIED BECAUSE JUST SEEING IT WAS A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AND THEN I STIFLED MY SOBS WHEN I SAW IT WAS $800 AMD WALKED THE FUCK AWAY. I HAVE NEVER CONTEMPLATED SELLING MY SOUL FOR SOMETHING LIKE I DID THAT BOOK.

I ended up just buying a copy of Macbeth that was hardback and printed in 1903. It was pretty and only $15.

I looked for anything first edition by Ray Bradbury because he's my favorite author and the owner was like "Oh well I have some at my other store an hour away.." and so help me I now want to take a road trip to Beaufort just to find this other damn bookstore and collect ALL the Ray Bradbury because he's my version of a religious deity and I loved everything he wrote.

But yeah this kid drug me in a used bookstore because he knew I would be in heaven and then took me to a chocolate store.

We may or may not have kissed and I'd be lying if I said I didn't know he had a huge crush on me but I just don't know if my aversion to relationships/emotional attachment will let that happen even though we do get along wonderfully and just kind of click.

Regardless I got a bang in' copy of Shakespeare out of that trip. I'd say it was a win win.

P.S. I also got a 50th anniversary edition of Lord of the Flies which is in my top five all time favorite books and I think I just might be booksexual.