Sunday, January 11, 2009

Teh cute

I was trolling the side streets of my fair city one Saturday afternoon not long ago and I happened upon a store that I had never been in before because it was always closed during the week. It had a sign outside it that screamed in big letters GARAGE SALE so I went inside.

I looked around at all the crap the store owner had in boxes that rested on a series of long tables. As I looked at some used books in a box the owner said, "I got a bunch of books in the back that are all two for a dollar." Well kids, that was music to my ears to hear that books could be had that cheaply so I walked to the back of the store.

On my way back there I saw two little kids, one about 4 and the other about 7, who were playing Tekken 3 on a video game system. The older one had some kind of severe disability because he was breathing with the assistance of some kind of oxygen delivery device. The oxygen was piped into a mask he wore over his little mouth and nose. It broke my heart to see him tethered to that machine but I knew without it he'd probably die. His little brother, I noticed, had enough energy for ten kids but he was holding back so that he could hang out with his big bro.

I stood and watched the kids interact as they played the video game.
The little kid, that's him in the orange shirt, just sat there with his eyes wide watching the game unfold all the while pressing all the buttons on the game controller indiscriminately. After one of the fighters in the game whipped the other one and the victorious fighter stood over his vanquished foe, the little kid would say in a triumphant voice, "Yay! I won!"

His brother, who I could tell actually knew what he was doing, would correct his little brother by saying, "No! I won." They went on like that for about 5 minutes and I just stood there watching them. It was possibly the cutest thing I have ever seen.

(I took Sparky by the store yesterday but the boys were not there. However the books still were and we bought a Gunter Grass novel, a copy of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a copy of The Orchid Thief, and a few more books, all of them brand new. I'm guessing they were the remainders of remaindered books.)

12 comments:

jaycoles@gmail.com said...

Oh, I had forgotten about The Orchid Thief. I read it ages ago. I hope you haven't read it. You are in for a fascinating read. Congratulations on your find.

Mrs. Polly said...

Sigh. We had a fabulous bookstore across the street, but it's gone. On the bright side, we are huddled in a small cavity hollowed out of the solidified bookflow that we were just helpless to stop. Perhaps in time we will find the will to dig out and resume normal living.

Thank you for visiting my blog, Dr. M, and may I say you have a very nice place here. **Mutual blogrolling**

Chris said...

I won!

What? I didn't? Crap.

Did you get the book or was it an actual, functioning "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy"? Because the latter would be awesome at any price. I'd trade a babelfish for one.

Katie Schwartz said...

Awww, very sweet yarn, MonkeyMucker.

Love the books!

See if you can pick up a copy of THE LIME TWIG -- you will love it.

Mnmom said...

Things involving children can quickly reduce me to tears.

Utah Savage said...

I cry over the kids, too. Children and animals.

Great book choices. I can recommend having read them.

Miss Alex said...

That was a great story. Now I feel bad complaining about the flu... :(

Barbara Bruederlin said...

What an adorable little kid!

Good books you snagged! Good thing you got a new house for all those finds.

lisahgolden said...

I love watching my kids' faces when they're playing video games and don't know they're being observed.

I don't love it so much when there are two of them playing and the fighting starts.

That little guy is adorable.

Mel said...

Kids can break you down in a second.
Bless them all.

MommyLisa said...

They are so fun to watch when they don't realize you are doing it. soooo cute.

PJ said...

That is so cute. Poor kid; it's so sweet that his bro doesn't take advantage of him.