“Setting priorities sounds simple but it’s actually quite difficult to do. You start out by writing out the things you should do, things you value, things you want to learn about, anything. Next, you look at the list and think hard about their order. But the important thing is that such order changes constantly. Or rather, you always have to question the order. Because, your situations never stay constant.”
“What you also need to tell yourself is that setting priorities is sometimes about throwing some things away, which is actually a pretty difficult thing.”
“So it’s about thinking really hard about what to do and what to not do.”
“Right, so that’s why priorities should keep changing, it should never remain the same. You have to keep doubting and updating. In other words, it’s about making the right decisions for that moment, instantly, about what the priority should be.”
“Right, so things you must do changes from moment to moment…” he continued, closing his eyes, almost as to take in his own words.
“It was good to speak to you. I was able to clear my mind, and it helped me to fine tune my priorities, too,” he said and closed his notebook.
As I was recalling back such a scene in my head, I took a pen and started to fill the page with the things I need to learn to be a book hunter.
“One person a day, 365 people in a year. To meet rare book collectors.”
This is what I wrote at the top of the list. I wasn’t sure if there were 365 rare book collectors out there, but I made it my mission to try to meet at least one collector a day.
This was following what that old gentleman told me about being a book hunter. “The collectors will teach you all you need to know. So, know your customers.”
I picked up the phone to make an appointment at the antique book store he told me about. The place was not facing the street but a room inside a building.
I followed the address he’d written down. I rang the doorbell and the door opened momentarily to reveal a 400 square-foot room with piles and piles of books, and between these piles were chairs with people who look to be customers, looking through the books and chatting away.
“Welcome,” I heard a voice say. When I looked over to the voice, I was taken aback by this lady who was so short she looked like a child.
“I don’t have the heat on in this room because of the books so put this on, if you like,” and handed me this airy down blanket.
“Let me know if you are looking for something. Please enjoy,” she said, and disappeared amongst the books.
I realized then how unusually cold it was in the room, but not enough to turn your breath white. So the light down jacket she lent me was just right. I later found out that it was called an inner down jacket that you put on under a jacket. I tried it on and was happily surprised at how warm and easy to move in it was.
