The Aardvark Blog

Everyday bookselling conversation
15/07/2023

Dear Sarah,

Sorry about the delay. We do have a Barclay's UK account we set up when we were in Ludlow. We use it for monthly donations for The Church Conservation Trust, a donkey sanctuary in Sidmouth, and for our membership in Friends of Friendless Churches so the account is funded and active. Could we possibly send you a cheque from this account? They have recently set up a new rather inscrutable sign in system that we are trying to adjust to that is predicated on something we will need to send away for, but we think using a cheque for our payment for Frieda's book and postage would be helpful for us. Could you email me your mailing particulars and we will get the cheque off ASAP, and then, when you receive it I can send our mailing particulars back to you. Hope I'm not being a pillock about this but to use a phrase I actually got from Sheridan when he described his sister " you are a star!". 

With kind regards,

Robert H

 And the inevitable reply ...

Dear Robert,

Sarah is out this morning ( tidying our house for our potential home buyer to come and measure up) so you are stuck with me. Cheque from the account that normally funds a donkey sanctuary is more than acceptable. Send to the usual address below ( Aardvark Books Ltd, The Bookery, Manor Farm, Brampton Bryan, Bucknell Shropshire SY7 0DH ), made out to 'Aardvark Books Ltd'. 

 Admire the use of the word 'pillock' ( not sure how easy this is to work into everyday American conversation).

 So when are you coming back to see us? America has not got noticeably quieter since your stay so I am sure you are due another six months sabbatical in leafy Shropshire, although I understand that you could be keeping this in reserve lest Trump get back into the Presidency ( in which case could Sing Sing become the new White House ). Not that I can make such jokes given our wonderful ex-PM Boris Johnson.

 I am not sure if you have come across it in the States but there is a very good history podcast done by a couple of British historians called the 'Rest is History' - https://shows.acast.com/the-rest-is-history-podcast - which is free to listen to and they just did an interesting two-parter on the  origins of the War of Independence, which I very much enjoyed and can recommend.

 Until we meet at the Gates of Thermopylae!

 With best wishes,

 Sheridan

 Coup de Grace:

Sheridan,

What a wonderful and complete pleasure to hear from you! So " Sarah the Star " is meeting/greeting potential new owners--were you not in Kingsland with its 13th c. Becket window and its chantry chapel at St. Michael's? Are you moving closer to The Bookery, perchance to Bucknell?

I will certainly listen to the recommended podcast. As you no doubt remember I taught both chemistry and AP American History at various private (public) schools here in the Non United States of America; of course, I taught with the passion of a zealot of what our history was meant to be and its progress from our Original Sins---------and then comes Trump and the Trump America of white nationalists and meanness that echoes Fascism. Boris Bad, Trump Worst!   You, kind sir, have a depth of knowledge and remarkable insight into American history. I wish I had the means, or power or influence or money, to get you to write a monthly column on current American history for The New York Times or Washington Post--you would be brilliant. I know I just embarrassed you with that statement, but the best conversation I had during our 6-month stay in Shropshire was with you on American history.   

And you are right, if Trump gets re-elected, I plan to go to Jamestown and repatriate the Godspeed by sailing it back to England, seeking sanctuary either at Ludlow's St. Laurence or at the donkey sanctuary!!!!!!! 

 With Warm Regards,

Robert H