Two VHS Tapes and the Last Copy on the Counter

Today, a retired McGill University professor came to my shop with two VHS tapes that he wanted to digitize.

When the order was completed, he seemed quite emotional. He also purchased a USB drive to store the digitized videos.

Then he noticed the book I had placed on the counter.

He picked up a copy of Nonimportantech, flipped through a few pages, and asked me if there was an English edition.

“Yes,” I told him.

I handed him the last English copy I had on the counter.

He looked pleased and left the shop with the book in his hands.

It was a brief encounter, just an ordinary afternoon at ACCO PHOTO. I don't know what memories those two VHS tapes held for him, or what he will think of my novel when he begins reading it.

But I found something quietly meaningful in that moment.

He came to my shop to preserve images from the past. Before leaving, he also took home a story written by someone he had never met before.

At ACCO PHOTO, I help people preserve their memories. And sometimes, quite unexpectedly, I get to share a few stories of my own.

One last copy, one new reader, and another small moment in the life of my little shop.