ADDRESSING L' ENFANT IN THE ROOM

I've had pretty good luck lately, finding things of interest. 

Sometimes I'll see something I already have and wonder if the copy I own is as good as the copy in front of me. It's not easy finding older books and records in pristine condition, but it happens. With records, there's always the added attraction of liner notes or inserts. With books, you never what someone will stuff between the pages. Newspaper clippings and letters are fairly common, but I've also found photographs, check stubs, and plane tickets.

The other day, I found this Elektra folk sampler from 1958.

Folk Sampler 5 (Elektra SMP-5)

I'm a sucker for early Elektra vinyl and I already own several of their samplers.  What put this particular $3 record over the top wasn't the presence of Theodore Bikel or Josh White, or even the version of "Day-O" recorded by Lord Foodoos. 

It was the tiny printed songbook tucked in the sleeve.

I've never thrust my fist in the air and shouted "score" when I find something nice, but I've seen others do it and I'm almost always embarrassed by it. Instead, I quietly walked up to the counter and paid for the record. 

Hot on the heels of the Elektra sampler, I found a copy of Margaret Crosland's biography of Jean Cocteau. 

I previously purchased a copy of the book in Denver, but this one contained a copy of Cocteau's obituary from the San Francisco Examiner (October 12, 1963). 

If you've forgotten that Edith Piaf died the same day as Cocteau, and that the news of her death supposedly triggered Cocteau's fatal heart attack, now might be a good time to brush up.

Here's the quote, according to the newspaper article:

"I have an awful fever and the death of Edith Piaf chokes me up," he said. "Piaf had genius, she was inimitable, there will never be another Piaf."  He lay down on a couch and was dead when a doctor arrived.

The book was just one of several things I bought at Goodwill on Saturday morning. There was a signed copy of Robin Lampson's epic verse novel of the California Gold Rush:

A Modern Library version of Women in Love that I don't already own:

And a dirty novel by Gil Herbert, published by Midwood:

I paid for the books and peeled off all the Goodwill stickers while I sat in the parking lot. Then I whispered "score" and drove away.

WE'VE BEEN TO THE BINS

On Friday, we took a trip out to the avenues because that's where the bins are.  I've been thrifting all over, from Apache Junction to Sun City, but I've never been to the bins and it sounded like a goldmine. 

Turns out "the bins" is just a Goodwill distribution center where they sell clothing and books and other items by the pound.  

I had a good time, but the stuff wasn't that great. It was a lot of poking around and pulling out and throwing back, like a singles bar on Friday night. 

Gloves were mentioned, but I didn't bring any because I don't own gloves. 

We waded through, dismissing and discarding, and then we waited for them to wheel out new merch which turned out to be more disappointing than the last batch.  

I only bought two books. There was an ancient copy of Jack the Giant Killer and Other Stories that I bought for the illustrations. The book itself is in disrepair, like most of the books I found in the bins. Ripped covers, torn pages, broken spines.  

I don't usually buy books that are in bad shape, but this was my first trip to the bins and I wanted to buy something.

The other thing I found was Mexican Cookery for American Homes, produced by the folks at Gebhardt Chili.  

To call it a cookbook is kind of a stretch.  The recipe for Arroz y Frijoles (rice and beans) instructs home chefs to heat a can of Gebhardt Mexican Style beans, add a half teaspoon of Gebhardt Chili Powder, some garlic salt, and two cups of cooked rice.  

It's all in the details, huh?

My favorite recipe in the book is for something called Bologna Cushions. Bologna Cushions? Is that like Beef Curtains?  

Take a slice of bologna.  Add some Gebhardt's Chili con Carne.  Top with another slice of bologna.  Pin the corners together and top with butter or margarine.  Bake for 30 minutes.  

Gotta hurry home after work today. We're having Bologna Cushions!

Serve. Eat. Vomit. Repeat.

After the bins, we drank some beer and watched a VHS copy of The Wolf Man.

It felt like a very productive afternoon.