The suspect⁹

There is a bookstore in Jamaica where I like to buy things. The previous owner was very bad. He used to suspect everyone. Every time I would enter into the store, I had to leave my bag outside. You weren’t allowed to bring your bags inside. The owner looked like President Truman. I would always say jokingly to myself, “Truman has incarnated again.”

When I went into the store a few days ago, I left my bag outside as I always do. It was raining, but what could I do? Then I went inside. A half hour I spent there. I bought a dictionary for a dollar. Then I saw Shakespeare’s Hamlet. I wanted to buy the whole Shakespeare set. The man was so nice. He was looking for the other books, but he could not find them. He said he would have them ready for me the next time — thirty-eight volumes.

I said, “Next week I will come.”

He said, “You will get the books.”

He was looking at me. Then he said, “It seems you are Sri Chinmoy. I can feel the fragrance from your body.” He was saying he was so honoured that I had come into his store.

Then I was looking for my bag. It was on the shelf inside. The man had taken it from outside and put it on the shelf. He said, “Why did you leave it outside?”

I said, “The previous owner used to suspect me.” I told him how nice he was and how bad the previous owner was.