I love talking to the strangers you meet on road trips. Why merely nod and walk past people when you can learn the story of all the stops along the way? Fred (not a Baldwin, he wants you to know) is an elderly bookseller at Baldwin’s Book Barn. He added up our selections on a piece of scrap paper. He subtracted a number when a change of mind occurred. Fred told us about offers people make to buy the six acres of land housing the living quarters, the barn, and property. The bids are rejected when the buyer won’t promise to keep the old, spacious barn as a bookstore.

I swear I would not change a thing. Does Fred come with the bookstore? I hope so. Throw in the beautiful, old books, the winged-back reading chairs, the barn’s original creaky staircases, and its secret doors leading to secret spaces.

Write down that sale, Fred. I’ll take it.