<p>
</p>
<p>A typical independent bookstore, in my mind, is like the record store in Nick Hornby’s <i>High Fidelity</i>: a lair of connoisseurs communing and clashing over matters of taste. And of course, the occasional shoplifter skulks nearby. But even thieves have their canon, <a title=”a former bookstore employee explains in the<I> Stranger</I>” href=”http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=520472″ target=”_blank”>a former bookstore employee explains in the<i> Stranger</i>
</a>. The most aggravating aspect of shoplifting for independent sellers is the mindset of their thieves, the “self-satisfied young white men, the kind who love to <i>stick it to the man,</i>” who confuse independent stores with said man–and abscond with hundreds of dollars worth of graphic novels, Beat poetry, and Philip K. Dick stories.</p>
<p>(Thanks, <a title=”Arts & Letters Daily” href=”http://www.aldaily.com/” target=”_blank”>
<font color=”#800080″>
<em>Arts & Letters Daily</em>
</font>
</a>.)</p>
<p>
<i>–<a title=”Lisa Gulya” href=”https://www.utne.com/bios/utne-reader-interns.aspx” target=”_self”>Lisa Gulya</a>
</i>
</p>
<p>
<em>Image by </em>
<a title=”gadl” href=”http://flickr.com/photos/gadl/” target=”_blank”>
<em>gadl</em>
</a>
<em>, licensed under </em>
<a title=”Creative Commons” href=”http://http//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en” target=”_blank”>
<em>Creative</em>
<em>Commons</em>
</a>
<em>.</em>
</p>
