black satin, rested a smal clay dish, a smal container of
red ink and a set of wood-handled brushes.
'Oh, that's a caligraphy set.' Miriam came around the
counter to look at it with me. 'Chinese. But this one is
special. It comes with paper and a set of pens, not just
brushes and ink.'
She showed me by lifting the box's bottom to reveal a
sheaf of paper crisscrossed with a crimson ribbon and a
set of brass-nibbed pens in a red satin bag with a
set of brass-nibbed pens in a red satin bag with a
drawstring.
'It's gorgeous.' I took my hands away, though I wanted to
touch the pens, the ink, the paper.
'Just what you need, yes?' Miriam went around the
counter to sit on her stool. 'Perfect for you.'
I checked the price and closed the box's lid firmly. 'Yes.
But not today.'
'No?' Miriam tutted. 'Why is it you know so wel what
everyone else needs, but not yourself? Such a shame,
Paige. You should buy it.'
I could pay my cel phone bil for the price of that box. I
shook my head, then cocked it to look at her. 'Why are
you so convinced I know what everyone else needs?
That's a pretty broad statement.'
Miriam tore the wrapper off a package of mints and put
one into her mouth. She sucked gently for a moment
before answering. 'You've been a good customer. I've
seen you buy gifts, and sometimes things for yourself. I like
to think I know people. What they need and like. Why do
you think I have such atrocities on my shelves? Because
people want them.'
I folowed her gaze to the shelf holding more porcelain
clowns. 'Just because you want something doesn't mean
you should have it.'
'Just because you want something doesn't mean you
should deny yourself the pleasure,' Miriam said serenely.
'Buy yourself that box. You deserve it.'
'I have nothing to write with it!'
'Letters to a sweetheart,' she suggested.
'I don't have a sweetheart.' I shook my head again.
'Sorry, Miriam. Can't do it now. Maybe some other time.'
She sighed. 'Fine, fine. Deny yourself the pleasure of
something pretty. You think that's what you need?'
'I think I need to pay my bils before I can buy luxuries,
that's what I think.'
'Ah. Sensible.' She inclined her head. 'Practical. Not very romantic. That's you.'
romantic. That's you.'
'You can tel al that from the kind of paper I buy?' I put
my hands on my hips to stare at her. 'C'mon.'
