Requests.

Mazo de la Roche (three specific titles.) The story of the Union flag for children with special attention to the story of the flag of St. Andrew. Puree recipes for nervous mothers with first babies. Guides to whisky distilleries. A book with pictures of posies 'because my girl friend wants me to paint some posies of flowers on the bathroom door.'

A sample of requests from my day. Not ONE of which could I satisfy from my shelves. I had books illustrated with paintings of flowers, some of them even in posies; I had a book about flags that included the history of the UK flag, but both were declared much too expensive to be bought at £5 - £10 a piece.

Each request involved a long conversation which sent the seekers out empty handed but happy, feeling that at least I had done my damndest for them.