The Oprah Administration

A white man just shy of middle age who wore a multi-colored jacket asked the clerks at BookEnds in Kailua what the word is for someone who deals in old books. No one seemed to know, so I offered up "antiquarian." After he pronounced it "antiquarium" a couple times, I suggested that would mean "dealing in old fish." He liked the male clerk's frizzy hair and said it likely "got him far." Asked the clerk if he was a reader. Did he work? "Yes, here at the book store." He was half-Mexican, he said, probably Mayan or Aztec, and wondered if they carried a book about Mexico. Said he'd served in the United States Navy under the Oprah Administration. Said that twice. His pineal gland had "detonated," like the twin towers. Ran away from home at 16 and lived on the street. Remarked on the female clerk's hair, the purple ends. "Where did you get that done?" "At the hair salon." "Really nice." He walked out, saying he'd be back.