Jhonen Vasquez, "Johnny The Homicidal Maniac: Director�s Cut"
Working in a used bookstore, sometimes I just can�t help but wonder what makes some people decide to sell their stuff. Did they get it as a present and either already had a copy or never really wanted one in the first place? Did they decide they weren�t ever going to look at something again? Did their boyfriend go to jail and they�re trying to raise bail money?
Sometimes it�s obvious that a parent died, and the surviving children that have never read a book in their life decide to try and make a few bucks. Other people are obviously moving, and they�re trying to cut down on the clutter.
The worst buy I ever had to do involved a couple who were obviously in dire straits and needed some cash. They had great stuff (meaning that it was stuff that I knew would sell in the store, but not necessarily anything I would want for myself; things like chess books and manuals on Wicca and magik). I saw the woman staring at her books as I totaled up the amount that we were going to pay her. She looked sad when she first came in, but I noticed her eyes glimmering with tears and her lower lip beginning to quiver as I worked.
By the time I was nearly finished, taking nearly all of her books, she started to silently weep. As I started to haul her books off the table and behind the counter her silent, restrained weeps turned to sobbing. She ended up waiting outside.
I could still hear her crying.
I paid more than I normally would for her books, and still I felt awful. Now I know how repo men must feel, and not the kind for whose life is always intense.
But that being said, why the hell would you be willing to give this book up? Why?!? I don�t care how bad things are, there are certain things that you don�t give away or sell! Things like this! Not that I�m complaining, because it�s mine now! MINE!!! And you won�t see me selling this off, or anybody selling my copy when I�m dead, as I�ve already declared that I get buried with ALL of my possessions.
I�m not saying anything about what this is about, because as Da Mayor put it in Do the Right Thing, �Those who know, won�t tell. And those who tell, don�t know.�
But I guess I will say something, for those who were like me and weren�t willing to pay the outrageous price they charge for the hardbound collection at places like Hot Topic. While there is a little bit of added material here there�s also A LOT missing, including two pieces that were my favorites. This stuff is still readily available in the original issues, for the original price. You know what I�m talking about. Make your own decision on which format you want to get.
