photo by Britta HügelIn Covid-time I have to pull myself away from Amazon & Co... because as I do not want to shop much, I look into Amazon's offers.
Yet often The Good in me gains the upper hand: I call my bookshop - and next day I take a walk and have a nice talk with the bookseller, and she often presents new books, so I get ideas and skim and buy - thus hopefully supporting Berlin's economy.
But I have to confess that the man I see on an even more regular basis is the Amazon delivery man - he really is a marvel, always laughing and so beaming that one feels the sun goes up - he is from Africa, black, shiny, and full of joy.
We talk and laugh a lot, and I have the feeling that the world is a good place to be in.
Which it is: I am so thankful that I can breathe in deeply the crisp fresh air when I finally pull down the mask. That I can smell the special odour of autumn leaves, savour a cookie, see and smell the fine spray when I peel an orange and read a book - so: it is so lovely to be ALIVE.
PS: Some of you might have noticed that I twisted and maltreated my headline to make it resemble one of the very first films I saw in the cinema (as I am 1.78m tall I could smuggle in very young, a little lipstick and kitten-heels from my world-wise girl-cousin Ragnhild helped ...): The Knack ... and How to Get It, by Richard Lester.. I have it on DVD and still adore it!
I so love the feel of a book as I am reading it. It is one of life's great comforts. I was given a Kindle book reader several years ago. It took some getting used to because I missed the feel of reading a book. However I can order books from Amazon when I see one I am interested to read. It is delivered directly to my Kindle immediately. I can always pick up a book to get that feeling of comfort when I need it. I always have a supply of new books to read with my reader.
ReplyDeleteDear Emma, I can understand that so well!
ReplyDeleteI am always glad when I travel to have a kindle - but at home I switch to order "real books" - the kindle-words pass me by, I cannot remember where I saw a sentence - while on pages I can tell you if it was at the right or the left sight, in the corner above or in the middle of a page.
I think I do it as you do it: if I want something quick, I might order it on my kindle - and then, if I am really fascinated, I might buy it in paper-form.
Oh Britta ..... I LOVED The Knack ..... Michael Crawford & Ray Brooks &, of course, there's nothing better than a good book.
ReplyDelete..... and, nearly all of our delivery drivers are lovely and we always have a little chat and a laugh ! XXXX
I am glad, Jackie, that someone else remembers and loves The Knack - sometimes I quote Rita Tushingham who knocks at the door of a lower middle class Lady in London and stammers: "Rape!", and the apron-Lady says "Thank you - not today!" XXXX
DeleteRay Brooks was such a great actor.
ReplyDeleteHe was, Rachel - adorable!
DeleteI love all the delivery drivers, too. The only people I talk to these days.
ReplyDeleteSome days, Joanne, it is the same here: the thee delivery man is the only soul to change a word with. Or even better, as with the African: a good laugh!
DeleteOh, I haven't seen this film; I must seek it out. And good to see the Provincial Lady taking the air in Berlin. This has certainly been the year for book deliveries around here, as I've been reduced to buying olde books exclusively online, while my local bookshop has been a boon for gift purchases for those in my world who like the modern fare.
ReplyDeleteI am really curious if you will like the film, Pipistrello: humour is such a fragile thing, and sometimes I am astonished that someone I thought I know (how could I?) does not laugh but looks bored. Well - I laugh.
DeleteWith older books I do the same as you: a good supply of English marvels I find through the Internet.
The Provincial Lady has moved together with me from Mainz to Stuttgart, then to Nürnberg, Hildesheim, Hamburg and now Berlin - a modern way of life.