tamales from a can

Today I talked to a 90 year old retired opera singer.  He had an accent that could have been the trees exchanging wind. 

A man asked if we had a Ted Kooser book.  I am reading Ted Kooser at the moment (Winter Morning Walks), and startled the poor gentleman with my sudden enthusiasm. 

I found Sloane Crosley’s I Was Told There’d Be Cake on the shelf and put it on my Staff Picks. 

I discovered a book of stamps in a Cheever book before checking it in and called the patron.  He was thankful. 

One tub of books smelled like cigarette smoke and tamales from a can and it made me think of dad, and I was briefly overwhelmed with missing him.