THE FLAPPER'S FAN

Chapter 1 - Quite a Lot of Stupid

I had no plan. I had vague intentions of travelling around Scotland and Ireland, perhaps by train, maybe rent a car. But there was no rush, and in the meantime I was just enjoying London. It was a sunny day, warm for London, meaning I only needed a light cardigan over my t-shirt and could go without wearing socks. I was in a part of the city that I had so far not investigated, and didn't remember from my years living here. As I walked down a cobbled lane way alone, the crowds somehow dissipated. I had no idea where I was or how to get back to somewhere I did know, and I didn't really care. It was darling, with little shops straight out of olde worlde times, and that's how I found the store. It had no name, just a wooden sign out front with a picture of a book on it, swinging on creaking hinges in the non-existent breeze. How could I not enter?

I pushed open the door and heard the bell announce my arrival. The scent of old books and even older dust was overwhelming and I smiled with delightful anticipation. It was dimly lit, as if by candlelight or gas lanterns, neither of which were a very safe choice around old books in my opinion. I didn't care though, it just added to the quaintness. I saw at once that it was not only full of old books, but also knick knacks of every sort, laid on wooden counters in no particular manner. I picked up a chipped tea-cup, missing it's saucer or any of it's companions, but obviously Royal Albert. It reminded me of the character from "Beauty and The Beast" (I could never resist a Disney movie), but then my attention was drawn to the photo of a glamorous woman from the twenties or thirties, platinum blonde hair, dark lips and cigarette holder. I picked it up and stared at it, leaving fingerprints in the dust that covered the ornate silver frame. Here eyes were indistinct in the blurry old photograph, but there was something about them, a sadness, a mystique, that made me want to know who she was. I put it down gently and moved on, glancing around to make sure I knew where it was if I wanted to come back for it. There seemed to be one item after another to snag my fancy, and I was halfway along the second counter before the proprietor finally showed herself.

In the dim light of the shop, she looked nothing more than a shapeless lump shuffling toward the counter and a chill suddenly washed over me. This was, after all, the prime setting for a creepy movie. Girl finds dusty old shop, no-one is around, monster slides out from the shadows, tentacles waving, row upon row of pointed teeth gleaming with drool as it focused its one eye upon her....

"Hello there luv, what can I help you with?" The lumpy shape had reached the pool of light from the desk lamp and now revealed itself to be caused by a lavender permed do and hand-knitted cardigan. The old woman's face was creased into a friendly smile and my heart skittered back to normal as I smiled in return.

"Well, I'm just looking really. What a fabulous shop!" I glanced around, seeing even more interesting items to inspect.

"Oh, an Aussie are you then? Here on holiday?"

"Maybe. Maybe longer. Maybe forever, if I keep finding stores like this!"

She chuckled, leaning on the counter to watch my progress, maybe worried my possible convict ancestry might have genetically transmuted itself to me and I could very well be stuffing ivory letter openers and first editions into my jacket pockets.

"Anything take your fancy?" she asked after a while. I had begun to realise that what had seemed like meaningless clutter was actually a categorisation of sorts. Over here were children's toys; wooden yo-yos, wind-up monkeys and gollywogs. On the counter beside me was a Victorian lamp, daguerreotypes and marcasite jewellery. Pleased to discover this attempt at order, I began to enjoy unlocking the puzzle of how items were connected. Strange noises from the saleslady drew my attention. I pulled out my smartphone and was surprised at how long I had been here. I felt guilty for taking up her time, and not making a purchase.