The man standing in front of me smacked his book on the counter and turned around. "Gotta keep up with 'em," he said. It was an older black man, his beard grizzled and grey and he wore a bright blue windbreaker. The man's steely eyes tore into me. I was shocked by the way the whites of his eyes were not really white, but another shade of grey that matched his beard and I was confused by this man's fury burning in his eyes. "They shall have NO power then!" I just stared back. "Oh," I said. "That's right!" the man replied, both his eyebrows and mouth compressing into a tight line and he gave a sharp nod. The man kept staring, more intense by every second. Luckily the guy at the customer service desk looked up from the computer then to tell me my book was not in stock. As I was able to avert my gaze then from the man, I glanced down to see what book the man was picking back up and firmly grasping now. It was some book on a religion that was clearly not Christianity. I thanked the customer service man and tried circling around the man. "Those devil worshipers won't have no power, no they will not!" the man called after me. I briskly made my way down to the "fiction/literature" section of the store.
Really now, it seems I have some really odd encounters in Books-A-Million. I don't know if it's just me, or the location, or what, but I have random people coming up to me and just start talking whack quite often in that place. Now don't get me wrong, I actually find it entertaining, like the time Pees-in-manager's-car-guy told me about his story, or the Spiderman battle, or All-about-the-board-games!-guys came by. But I'm just wondering if this happens often to other people.
On the way out of BAM I saw the man sitting there close to the doors, peering into two books. When he saw me approach I tried to not make eye contact, so I smiled wide at a guy that was headed out in the same direction as me, like we were both going together. The man still hollered out at me as I went through the door, "You tear 'em ALL out now!" Glancing back at the store as I got in my car, the man in the bright blue was still staring at me, grizzled face framed in the window. Yep. I'm still wondering what brought this all on. But I hope the man gets some rest or settles down or something. He's going to blow a gasket with those eyes and set jaw!

And on a different note, this holiday has been great. I've been so happy to be home with my family and friends who are all made of awesome. It is a great joy to be in the company of those you love, and I am ever grateful for the generosity and love they bring to me. So to everyone, may you prosper and your new year be blessed with friendship and health the better.