Too professional.

A man ringing up to find out what he could do to dispose of a large number of paperback novels and get a few pounds back from them, induced a moment of insight into how far I have come down the path of no return in this secondhand bookselling business. Many years ago I started selling at car boot sales the books and bric-a-brac my children and I had collected along the way. I found each occasion enjoyable, even when the wind blew icy cold and the thermos flask was a life-saving part of the equipment. The excitement of exchanging unwanted bits and pieces for cash; counting that cash at the end of the day and seeing it as a kind of gift earned by very little effort made the expedition a fun outing for all the family.

I had lots of tips for the chap like: 'It needs at least two people. One to keep an eye on the stall as you unpack when the traders close in on you, and later to watch the stall whilst the other finds the toilets or buys a venison burger.' 'Don't organise things too much. If you have everything priced and in proper categories they won't come near you. They need to feel you're a bit slow so they might be getting a bargain.'

I heard that particular gem recently from the rueful mole-catcher who has a stall at the Sunday Mart in the nearbye town. One Sunday I found him at a boot sale with his stock all neatly labelled and priced. The next news from him was that he has stopped doing boot sales because he is too well organised and folk shun him completely.