From 'The Double' Ii Poem by Morgan Michaels

From 'The Double' Ii



Miggi snorted.

'This dusty old thing? It's from my father-in-law's library'.

How could it be valioso? , he asked.

'A first edition means that a book received no prior printing',
explained Langley.

'Then, it was useless'! he sniffed. 'I lifted a useless book'.

Langley laughed and assured him it wasn't always so, a book might have had later printings, or even become a standard text and be valioso on that account. He next explained the principles of supply and demand to his backward friend.

'A first edition didn't mean a lack of later printings. In civilized countries a first edition was valuable, because rare. Later editions might indeed be larger, by demand'. In his country, there was a market for such things. First editions were rare, so they cost more.

Miggi did not see why you should pay more for a first edition than for another, since the words were the same, but he didn't wish to appear thick, so he pretended it made sense.

'Of course', he said, after a bit, nodding.
'I see, now. I, too, am familiar with the term. There's a first edition bookstore in Habana. I've been there lots'.

This may or may not have been true. He didn't actually know any first edition bookstore in Habana, but wanted to think there was one, so, he felt justified in believing such a bookstore existed. It was a bit of a stretch, but it made sense, sort of.

'Dios mio', I only hope the little bookstore is still there. I haven't been in awhile. But, it's probably still there'.

It was better to end on a positive note.

Langley noted the improbable editing of a file in his friend's memory. But he opted to extend the benefit of the doubt. If true, it meant that Miggi was not such a yahoo, after all. If not, he...

Friday, September 5, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: love
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