the artful browser

I've gone into this one art supplies store for the third time this week already just to browse.

I don't ever intend to buy anything, I just like to stand there and admire things. First, I loiter about the brushes and the paints, and then after that, the sketchbooks. I feel up the soft bristles, thumb through the watercolour paper, and test out pens on the scrap of paper they leave out for that purpose. The sales people, I think they recognize me, but I am defiant and shameless. I pick things up and leave them elsewhere, I hold on to expensive items for a little bit too long.

Ok, I admit, this story is only half true. I was there one too many times, it's true, but each time I was paranoid about people thinking I was a shady character, so I walked around with my hands conspiciously away from my pockets at all times. And today, embarassed that someone might tag me as the creepy art store browser, I bought a pen.