The $5 Candy Jar

Right down the street from Powell's Bookstore, in Portland, is Spartacus Leathers. After our expedition to Powell's, last weekend, my sister Jo, the tattooed lady, insisted we go to Spartacus. I got to ask the clerk things like, "Okay. I give up. What's this?" And then I'd turn the item over and discover that it also cost $347.95.

The $5 Candy Jar
Originally uploaded by goyishekop.

The shoe section was patent-leather shoes that I couldn't imagine anyone could even get on, much less stand up in. Knowing that even regular shoes are expensive, I wasn't shocked when I turned them over and looked at the price tags. At least, not until I turned one pair over and saw they'd been marked down five times.

$10 for the pair.

I turned to Jo and told her I'd split the cost with her. We each took one shoe. A pencil cup? A planter? I don't know what Jo's going to do with hers, but here's mine.