JT EVERGREEN SHORT STORIES

Grace Clarkson had seen The Olde Book Shoppe before but never had the time to go in and browse. She had been too busy with last-minute details in the publishing of the book she had written. Today, however, she missed her train home to Arlington Heights and had some free time before the next train. She browsed the display window of The Olde Book Shoppe for a few moments but found nothing that caught her interest. She could, however, vaguely see hundreds of books lining the walls inside the dimly-lit shop, and … there was a narrow stairway to a loft with many books stacked willy-nilly on the stair treads. She smiled to herself as she decided there was bound to be a treasure hidden somewhere in this ancient funny little bookshop. As she entered the shop, the tinkling bell above the door surprised her and made her think of the little girl in the film It’s a Wonderful Life , who said, every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings. She quietly closed the shop door and slowly walke...

Thunder rolled softly in the distance as Annie McDougal exited the train terminal onto Jackson Boulevard. She had just arrived from her home in Arlington Heights and was on her way to Chicago’s Loop to buy herself a birthday gift, one of the few self-indulgences she allowed herself. As she crossed the Canal Street Bridge, she inhaled the negative ions of the approaching storm and felt an exhilaration she had never experienced before. When mist from the approaching rain began to touch her face like tiny cold fingers, she headed for shelter at the nearby ladies’ apparel shop but changed her mind when she noticed The Olde Book Shoppe across the street.  Traffic was light as she dashed across the traffic lanes and entered the bookshop at the very moment large raindrops cascaded down from the gathering clouds. High winds began to gust and whip the rain into a frenzy as she pushed the door shut against the force of the wind. The little bell above the door, caught in the gale, ra...