In the heart of the French Quarter, opposite the rear garden of the St. Louis Cathedral, sits Faulkner House Books. The store is named after William Faulkner, who rented an apartment in the building in 1925. In that space, he began writing his first published novel, Soldier's Pay.
My traveling companion and I visited the store at 624 Pirate's Alley when we were in New Orleans for Bouchercon. As we neared, a pair of priests with collars askew and bags over their shoulders strolled away from the cathedral. They surprised me. I don't think about priests as coming off shift. But there they were.
Inside, Faulkner House felt like a time capsule. The store exists in a space not originally designed for retail. It's a small store. Shelves leak into other rooms. Poor lines of sight abound. An oak table doubled as the sales counter. A stack of books had been temporarily moved to make way for a retail transaction. The store really should be encased in amber.
You expect to feel ghosts in an establishment like this and, therefore, you do. Outside these doors, hurricanes and plastic beads are the fashion. Tacky T-shirts promote guttural conversation. In here, literary specters silently whisper. They tell you that the muses expect you to aim a little higher.
While worshipping at Faulkner House Books, I bumped into a list of lost words that Joe Gillard compiled. These are terms that once occupied a place in English, have been kicked off the varsity, but, perhaps, should be brought back. The words fit the setting. Faulkner House is an ideal place for clinging to an antiquated way of practicing English. What follows are a few examples:
• Collywobbles--Stomach pain or sickness resulting from nervous anxiety.
The current state of publishing has given me a case of the collywobbles.
• Fabulosity– An exaggerated statement or story that is entirely made up.
They loved hearing about his vacation adventures although it was all fabulosity.
• Honeyfuggle--To compliment or flatter someone to something you want.
We can probably all think of someone who needs to be honeyfuggled.
• Pelf--Money, especially when acquired through fraud or deceit.
The critic accepted pelf in exchange for the glowing review.
I'm going to stop listing examples. Although I tried to craft sentences outside of a political context, all of the words I selected kept forcing rumination on the state of national affairs. With each term, my spirit sagged. Time to withdraw to a happy place, like Faulkner House Books.
If you're queasy or merely want to latibulate– hide in a corner– consider taking time for a quick holiday. Visit your local bookstore, especially if it's in an old house with creaky floors and a bready smell. The environment offers a great place to restore the soul. Although you may leave poorer in pocket, I'm convinced you'll depart chirky and gladsome.
Until next time.
BSP: Last Tuesday, October 21st, was Publication Day for The Hidden River, the second in my national park series of dual timeline thrillers. This one is set in the Everglades. Thanks to all for your well-wishes and encouragement.
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