SENIORS DAY

I encouraged my brother to go to Goodwill on Wednesdays because it is 25% off everything in the store for "Seniors Day"! After he went, he called and told me he wouldn't go back there because the books were in "disarray".

Since then, I began volunteering at Goodwill on several days, sorting and organizing, and placing the books in some kind of order.

My system isn't the Dewey Decimal System, but I have the books organized by different categories: non-fiction, cookbooks, self-help, instructional, religious, audio books, and sections I call "popular writers". These are writers I have never read, but since I have seen so many of their books donated, I can only assume that they must be "popular". Among those writers are Stephen King, John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, Patricia Cornwell, Nora Roberts, David Baldacci, Dan Brown, and Danielle Steele.

But then I had 10 books together by an author I did not know named Ellis Peters. Since there was that large number of books, I thought, "In which category shall I place these?" As I read the dust jackets, I came to learn that the author, Edith Pargeter, used Ellis Peters as her nom de plume. She was obviously quite a famous English writer of mysteries and historical fiction. Methinks, "Ah, yes, she goes right next to Agatha Christie!"

I kept the hardbacks and paperbacks separate because that's the way Goodwill had them organized. I think it is logical that they should be combined by categories, but it was actually much easier to keep them separated; I gave in to expediency!

Books for children are now in the front of the store where the toys are kept. There are also quite a number of audio books and movies for children.

It is unbelievable the number of Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Harlequin Romance, and Silhouette books which have been donated. I have never understood why someone would want to read a "condensed" book! A woman in the store with whom I spoke, thought that the Condensed Books were serials and were continued in other volumes. She asked how one would know which one to buy "next". When I told her that they were shortened volumes of complete books, she had my same reaction.

Of the more than 1,000 books, I found only 10 "classics": 1 Shakespeare (which I have), 1 Jack London (whom I detest), 1 Emily Dickinson (which I bought for a friend), 1 Daniel DeFoe (which I have}, 1 Daphne de Maurier and 1 P.G. Wodehouse (although not "classic" in my opinion; where else could I "stick" them?). I was especially thrilled to see one by my all-time favorite author Thomas Hardy. My sister-in-law was very appreciative when I presented her with two books by Pearl Buck, which she did not have. She said, "WOW! Pearl S. Buck hardbacks WITH dust jackets." They were not First Editions, but nonetheless, she was pleased.

Since having the books organized, I now just do perfunctory rearranging on Wednesdays.

My brother said, "You just want first crack at the books!" Of course, he's partially right. Now he can go to the store on Wednesdays and get books for 25% off $1.99 for hardbacks and 25% off 99 cents for paperbacks!

If anyone would like to volunteer at Goodwill, please stop by the store at 1827 Columbus Avenue and ask for Crystal, the Manager (she's the one in pink in the picture). Along with Crystal and me is the Assistant Manager Sherry.