After a while I found my target and took an obligatory swing over to the math and science racks. Computer books were right there too.

But wow, how the Math, Science, and Computers have shrunk. A sad shell of their former shelves. The teen vampire section was bigger.

Was nobody there either. Tumbleweeds blew thru. Wait! There was someone there! I almost didn’t see him, he was small. His ninety year frame also seemed a mere shell of his former self. I knew the look. His laserlike focus was sucking every bit of juice from his prey, this book that was too-much-to-buy.

I eased into Math casually but quickly, surveying the crap math section, mostly the how-to-pass-test without learning books and the oops-i-am-a-dumbshit-and-idiot-help-books. Nary a fractal book in sight.

Perhaps I am a bit harsh, there were probably a couple of jewels there. Science and astronomy was mostly the same beautiful-but-mindless coffee book pablum with cool pictures of the awesome Eagle Claw nebula. So nineties…

I gave a quick nod to the teach-yerself-electrical-circuits book that has been taunting me for 20 years…

All the time, I kept a perifial eye on the strange old gentleman. Who was he? After 90 years, what could he not know? Why learn it now? Was it the latest in theorical physic string theory? The latest Stephen Hawking spew? Was he teaching himself electrical circuits?

Was he? Could he be? Could …he… …be… …me? Was this a key moment? A chronsynclastic timeline pivot? Did he time travel back 40 years to meet his former self? What might he have to tell me? Was the key to his travels here in this very section? Was _he_ eyeballing me…?

I scanned the computer books took two seconds. Shelves full of I-suck-and-wanna-learn Java books. I threw up slightly in my mouth but choked it back down.

I would now make my move. I left, with a quick look back, to see what treasure this wise sage had found…

Facebook For Dummies.

Sigh.

I probably tend to overthink things.

Some leaves I’ve been growing from my finish-later pile.

Fiddled long enough.

Fly, be free…

First, I pick up this sweet, black beauty Gretsch 5120, she is way too good for me…

Then, I grab some lousy, old brown strap I got laying around to hold her on me. Black axe, brown strap, gah!

Because, I’m too cheap too to buy the strap she needs. $50 for a strap! No way. It’s the finest leather strap, _guaranteed_ to be the most comfortable ever, and I deserve the best, but, fiddy…

Finally, it’s on sale. Well kinda. Buy a fifty dollar item, get one free.

But, there is limited stuff in the get one free pile.

Mic? Nah.

Headphones? Nah.

Wait, what? Bongos? Maybe… youtube for bongo lessons…

Oh yeah, it’s easy as uno, dos, tres, something! I’m in!

And, the bongos are tuneable, with a carry bag!

I’m thumping the bongo at the drive-thru window while waiting on my burger, mustard only. Mustard will wash off, I hope.

I get home, chuck the strap over to the corner.

I caught it! Bongo Fever!

Just hope I didn’t make a mistake refusing the ten-dollars-for-two-years insurance…