Some Other Time

by Angela Brown

Every few minutes, another customer wanders through the glass door wearing an obvious look of contentment on their face. They’re happy to be here. Unlike most other areas of retail, people don’t tend to find themselves at a bookshop because it’s a chore, just another item to cross off a never-ending to-do list. Rather, stepping inside here is a reprieve. Customers want to stay, slow down, take a break. No one is in a rush to leave.

She keeps looking, but he’s nowhere. He’s everywhere, too.