someone else's tiny memories or What I Have Found in Book Lots from Estate Auctions

[Angela]

A diary from the 1870's, in which the author makes up derogatory nicknames for his teachers, like Stumpy.

A numbered, signed folio of beautiful wildlife lithographs, likely never opened.

A scrapbook, entitled Sea Moss in ornate gilt lettering, with bits of sea moss glued to the pages inside.

A guest register from a funeral.

An address book full of mechanical drawings and mathematical formulas.

A copy of How to Make Love to a Man from the 1960's with a specific exercise program and techniques for women, containing pressed flowers.

[Teresa]

I love the image of you being sneaky with Make Love.  Now, if there are great pictures in the book, I'd be doing the same thing.  Maybe "instructions" aren't the point.  I think step-by-step gives some people permission to "do it".  I have a thing for pictures, even if they're drawn by hand.  I remember thinking even Jessica Rabbit was outrageously sexy (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and that even cartoon porn would probably get me all...hyper.  I used to dig around in the closet of the couple I babysat for because I knew where they hid their Joy of Sex book.  I had a blast looking through it. 

We'd have been in a lot of trouble growing up next door to each other. 

[Angela]

Teresa - I have Make Love stashed on my computer tower under the desk in the antiques store where I spend a bit of time occasionally cataloging and pricing antique, vintage, and used books.  I sneak peeks at it when no one is in the book room with me.  Then if someone comes in, I have to play it off all casually and maneuver around to keep the book from getting mixed in with other things.  It is so much fun.

[Bill Floyd]

A poignant selection.  The "likely never opened" in line 2 depresses the shit out of me, but the rest feel somehow comforting.   

[Teresa]

How to Make Love to a Man?  Like it's so complicated.  An exercise program?  I need to get past that part and say I love each of these items (even the dumb book) because their owners aren't around anymore so having these pieces is like holding or touching a ghost.  I'm sure you've held each of these up to your nose.  I even get excited about grocery lists people leave lying around at Kroger (but no, I don't smell them because they're not old enough) so your items would be heaven for me.

[Bob Clay]

"pressed flowers" ???? (shit ....that's where I went wrong.)

 

[Gita]

I want #2 -- a  folio of wildlife lithos sounds amazing. You've done something really interesting with the theme, here. fave.

[Joey Delgado]

I love #1. See, things don't really change over the years. Kids have always made fun of their teachers. Well done, Angela.

[Cita]

Oh.  I want #3.

[Toby Tucker Hecht]

Do you still have #5?  This I would love to see.  I laughed about the pressed flowers in #6.  About #1--everyone's diary is interesting.

[Mike Handley]

Leave it to you, milady, to devise such an interesting twist to the challenge. Love it.