In the meantime, I was on foot.

When I reached the store, I stopped, eyeballing the window’s display. The sign read, “Otherworldly.” I read further, “Astrology, Magic Spells, and Baubles.” How odd, finding a store like this in the middle of hellsville.

I pushed past the door. A bell jingled, announcing my entrance. Instantly a rush of incense struck my nose, a woodsy smell, but a little heavy with the smoke. I coughed, waving away the puffy gray.

I ventured down aisle after aisle, thrumming through the various books. The smell of new books sent waves of excitement through me. I loved curling up in bed on a rainy day with a good book. Gosh, I couldn’t remember the last time, I’d read a good book. I drew out a long sigh.

My eyes widened with wonder over the large selection. I noted titles on witchcraft, voodoo, astrology and new age. There were odd trinkets of all sorts, charms, and other strange emblems. One mysterious item spiked my curiosity a doll made of simple burlap and ill-matched buttons for eyes and a black patch in the shape of a heart sewn to its chest. Its seams were stitched crookedly. Who’d want such an ugliest doll? 

Wow! My eyes washed over the rows of shelves. Usually, I avoided this kind of bookstore like the bubonic plague. Chills spread over my arms. Strange how the lure of eerie sparked such a deep interest in me and yet, it frightened the poop out of me too.

Regretting my egress, I tore myself away from the little corner with the comfy chair and headed on my way. I needed a job more than reading books that I couldn’t buy. Just to make myself feel a little better for wasting time, I asked for an application and promised to drop it off first thing in the morning. The clerk with a polite smile informed me that they weren’t hiring, but she’d be glad to keep my application on file. Great! Another rejection. I kindly thanked the lady and headed on my way. Despite how I felt on the inside, I had to keep that smile glued to my face, whether I wanted it or not.

With a ragged sigh, I headed off in the direction of the local newspaper, Tangi News Journal. The last of the great white buffalo and my last hope. Like most newspapers, I expected they’d have an opening. I was aiming for an inside job.