A Bookstore Experience: Starring Emerson (Ralph Waldo)

I went to a local bookstore last fall to pick up my copy of Emerson's essays for an American Lit class I had signed up for. I had walked into the store with three important American classics on a small blue sticky note. Realizing that the bookstore's enormity and layout may jeopardize my keen book-finding sense, I approached the cashier for some advice, asking him where I could find Emerson.

"You mean, Ralph Waldo?" He asked. I tried not to show the surprised look on my face, which was plainly inquiring how and why he was on a first name basis with this great American author... now dead, some 130 years.

"Yes," I replied, patiently paying attention as he directed me first to the literature section, then changing his mind, telling me that I would most likely find this author in the small shelf in the corner marked, PHILOSOPHY. "Okay," I said, confirming that I had watched him point to various parts of the bookstore. Before I could walk away, however, he decided to confirm his hypothesis with a fellow bookstore employee.

"Oh no! Definitely not philosophy," she said, with more emphasis than was probably necessary. 'You should look in literature... or maybe essays... Or," she nodded towards yet another rack of books, "you could check anthologies".

She then proceeded to walk me through each of these sections, directing me through row upon row of books, despite the big, black plastic signs adorning each shelf.

"Thanks," I said, as she resumed her job of shelving various literary classics, Melville, Tolstoy, and Bronte--or maybe I should say, Herman, Leo, and Charlotte.

"No problem," she replied, "that's what I'm here for".