Thank you, Borders! You'll never know...

So the end is near for good old Borders.  It's a sad time for book lovers everywhere.  I was a big fan of Borders.  I feel a special connection to one particular store 1,100 miles away from where I'm sitting.  It plays a huge role in a certain chapter of my life.  I remember when it was set to open in Baton Rouge.  Now it's set to close.


But a lot happened between "chapter one" and "the end" for Borders:

My BFF worked for the company for years, working her way across Louisiana back to her hometown of Baton Rouge.  I was also living in the Red Stick, and had become a hermit in my apartment.

But the clouds began to part when the BFF and Borders arrived.  In a time when I was retreating from all things social, Borders became my favorite place to go.  I loved being greeted by my best friend, then disappearing to find some new non-fiction.  I was never disappointed.  Borders introduced me to terms like Kobo, Paperchase, Manga and spider wrap, and the BFF had to identify all of them for me!

The book store became a sanctuary for me, a place I could visit when there didn't seem like anywhere else to go.  And it wasn't just shopping.  The BFF made sure I was near the front of the line for book signings and guest lectures.  Even when I resisted, the BFF got me out of my apartment and back into my life.  She made sure I started enjoying myself again.

So thank you, Borders.  Thank you for transferring my BFF to Baton Rouge just when I needed her most!