The emporium

I have a dear friend without whom life would be decidedly less vibrant, real and funny. She and her lovely partner look after my cats when I go away and they have stuck with me through all life’s vicissitudes over the past decade. That is some feat. Whilst I know that there are others with whom she shares her spectacular originality and warm heart, I have a concern that she will desiccate without the regularity of human contact forced on many of us via the daily Jay Oh Bee.

With this concern and also this desire for others in the world to share my friend’s uniqueness, I am proposing that a wealthy backer invests in an emporium – a place which reflects her unique assortment of skills and interests. The emporium would sell books – with a comfy space for people to read (and maybe buy, or maybe just sit and read, have a coffee, discuss the book…). It would also sell CDs, DVDs and have a small, beautifully formed deli. One could access the Internet, have some light meals and maybe, in the summer, sit outside in a warm, secluded garden and buy herbs.

The space needs to be cosy, so not too much space. It needs to be intimate and not necessarily run along strict business lines. Second hand stuff would be available as well as new stock (which she would choose as she has spot on taste) and the aim of it would be to bring people together – especially those whose lives can tend towards being atomised, virtual and sometimes lacking in good quality human contact. Cos let’s face it, not all workplaces are terribly sociable or friendly – take mine (or rather, don’t). Also, there are too few places like this in the world. I came across a few like this when I visited and worked in Grand Cayman – maybe there is something about the nature of the Caribbean that facilitates this, I don’t know…

I am hoping that this will not offend my friend. I guess it is also a means of indicating how I see her and her partner in the world. Very, very few people would ever have the human warmth and personal idiosyncrasies to carry this off. With some help, she could. In her sleep.