As of the time I write this, the Powerball lottery jackpot is up to $1.55 billion (yes, billion with a ‘b’.) I think it is one of the highest jackpots ever, if I’m not mistaken. That’s quite a bit of money. Or it works out to over $600 million if you take the cash value option and get the whole jackpot at once.
My wife asked me what I’d do if I won the lottery. My near instantaneous answer was ‘Open a bookstore.’
‘Why would you do that?’
‘Because the world needs bookstores.’
She doesn’t think it would be a good idea. She pointed out that major chain bookstores are closing down or struggling to stay open, and small independent bookstores are closing down faster than you can say ‘Waldenbooks’.
I don’t care. All I’ve ever wanted to do was run a bookstore. Bookstores are a vital and necessary part of keeping a civilization alive and growing.
There is something special about going into a bookstore and wandering the shelves. As you look at all the different covers you find one that catches your eye, draws you in. You pick the book off the shelf and read the back cover copy. You flip it over and open the book up and read the teaser text at the front. You rifle the pages, making that satisfying flapping noise. You hold onto it because you know you’ve discovered a new read, one that fits you and your tastes.
You go to the counter to check out and get into a conversation with the bookseller, who recommends two more authors you haven’t read yet, but now you want to give them a try. You find out you both love dogs and old movies. Just like that, a new friendship has blossomed.
Bookstores are meant for those who love books, those who know that there’s nothing better on a cold and windy day, or a rainy afternoon, than sitting in your favorite chair or nook by the window, cracking open a new book and getting lost in the story.
Also, I want to run my bookstore the same way Willy Wonka ran his chocolate factory. Little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous. Well, maybe not too dangerous. And I want a talking moose head hanging on the wall at the front of the store, that can tell jokes and interact with the customers.
I want it to be a place that fosters the love of reading for both young and old. Books are teachers, counselors, guides, and friends. They open doorways in your mind that expand your worldview and let you go on magnificent journeys.
I’d say that’s a worthwhile use of $1.55 billion, wouldn’t you?
If you liked this look into the way my mind works, why not buy me a chocolate chip cookie through my Ko-Fi page? https://ko-fi.com/jhusum
This is off on a tangent to the main point of this blog, but I notice when talking about the huge amount of money in the lottery, you write it out as ‘$1.5 billion.’ This is, or ought to be, wrong. It should be law (though I have no idea how we could enforce it), that when we write down any obscenely large amount of money, instead of spelling out the English word, such as ‘$1.5 billion,’ we instead write down all the numerals, down to the last zero, as in ‘$1,500,000,000.’ If people did this, they would have a much better idea of what they were talking aout when they discussed things like government budgets and expenditures.
The cynical part of me says that most people won’t understand government budgets or expenditures even if you write out the large numbers to the last decimal place.
On the other hand, I’m all for trying to get people to think differently so I’ll endeavor to write out the large numbers from now on. Maybe in the long run it might help people get the concept. Thanks!