Dreams of Many Colored Glass - excerpt

Einstein was right. A reference book existed for reference. You didn’t need to read it, because in case you ever needed it, the book was on the shelf. Your job in life was to make sure you didn’t need it, so it could stay in its home – preferably in a library. Fritz believed the more books you were familiar with, the better chance you had to find things you wanted, to know how to get wherever the things were when you wanted, and the much better chance you had to pay the best price for the things you wanted. Since I was being paid to look at the reference books, I would drift to the beat of Metallica and let my attention wander while I was leafing over pages.
Some days we browsed and some days we researched. I liked it less when we researched. Usually, when we researched, I complained. “This is not 2004. So why do I need to check what a lamp sold for in 2004? It’s not on the market. Here, for example you’ve got a leaf and berry lamp, which doesn’t look much leaf and berry to me…looks to me more like dishpan with a sieve on the bottom setting on top of a restaurant thermal coffee pot painted with black Rust-o-leum.”
“That’s pyramidal,” said Fritz without looking up. “We want to calculate change in value.”
“Why don’t we just go out and buy the lamp, and find out?”
“It’s not for sale.”
“Then what are you worried about?”
“If you don’t calculate changes in value, then you’re going to be fleeced by one of your agents. Additionally, you won’t know what your own collection is worth.”
“Green, red, yellow, blue, purple, striated and rippled,” I continued reading, “Cripes, who’d want something like this, with fake Queen Anne’s lace pierced metal. I can’t believe the combinations he used; it must be gosh-awful ugly.”
“Check on the upstairs landing. See for yourself.”
“Two hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars…what?”
“Plus commission.”
There was silence before I tiptoed to the upstairs landing and stood at a respectful distance. “Don’t breathe on it,” Fritz called after me.
I didn’t give him the satisfaction of answering.