Amazon Bookstore Cooperative
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis. Home of the world’s cleanest streets, biggest t-shirts, and craziest cats. And my brother. Hello built in tour guide. Or something like that. Upon arrival, he introduced me to his world. This would mean the sans humid 70’s of beautiful Uptown Minneapolis, and his bohemian cool friends, which I am taking the liberty of dubbing this generation’s version of Kerouac’s beatniks.
Within eight hours of my arrival, I was convinced we had visited every major establishment in the Northern Hemisphere, let alone mere Minneapolis. Chino Latino’s reigns supreme for its best named drinks, CC’s Liquor Club for its hometown brew, and Azia for those chicken potstickers at midnight that absolutely saved my life. Although, dear Azia, I would have been better off heeding your fortune cookie advice, which appropriately read “you’ll only hate yourself in the morning if you wake before noon.” Aye.
Inbetween establishments, there were alliterated observations by my 2000’s beat generation companions—”conformity is comfortable” and “surveillance is security”—and marketing campaign ideas for cigarettes—”ahh, the sweet taste of cancer, it tastes like happiness”—and excellent rules for life—”the first rule of dating club is that you do not talk about dating club. The second rule of dating club is you do not talk about dating club.”
Chuck Palahniuk would be so proud.
The next day consisted of me oohing and awing over the Elvises, which really, I’m still getting over. Can you blame me? It’s not every day one is nearly trampled to death by 50 Elvis impersonators.
After Elvis and some more meandering, it was time for my final scheduled book event. Meeting up with some dear women from the ranks of Moss-Barnett, I sipped margies as a pre-event celebration before waltzing into the Amazon Bookstore Cooperative. After twenty book events, I can tell you three things.
Regardless of my personal shortcomings, it was lovely, intimate, and a 90 minute reading with questions and answers. A lot of questions. Among the most personal that I was asked was my take on law. Ironically enough, that very morning a colleague had sent me the perfect words. I think she was trying to inspire. Perhaps it did. I related to the audience the words of Scott Turow, who said, “the law, for all of its failings, has a noble goal–to make the little bit of life that people can actually control more just. We can’t end disease or natural disasters, but we can devise rules for dealing with one another that fairly weigh the rights and needs of everyone, and which, therefore reflect our best vision of ourselves.” She then asked, “is this how you feel about the law?”
“Yes, it is.” Then I decided to be brutally honest. “Most days.”
After the book event, it was off to Grumpy’s for what will hereafter be known as the t-shirt incident of 2007. In hindsight, it’s ironic that the final book event coincided with public praise and humiliation for a family member. Ahh, the circle of life.
That phrase is never going to be useable again, is it?
Acknowledgments. Samuel, you’re the coolest little brother ever. Much appreciation to and inspiration from DJ Tony, Natalie, Leslie, Jeremy, Barb, Marjorie, Kelly, Amazon Bookstore Co-Op, all the random people I accosted with that t-shirt at Grumpy’s, the cab driver, the masters of punch at Red Dragon, Bob’s Java Hut and the genius behind those peanut butter cookies, and the good people of Banana Republic who saved me from certain pneumonia with their rain jacket.
[Listening to Haley Bonar.]
1 response so far ↓
1 Barb // Aug 29, 2007 at 11:03 am
Congrats on writing a great book that got better with each chapter. You write exactly like you talk so I’m glad I got to meet you (and hear your voice) before I finished the book. You are so totally blessed to have a family like the Moffets.
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