Oh I knew a little about furniture before I went into the store. But I had never met someone like Tracy. Look at this chair, for instance. It was missing the front leg next to him. Tracy carved a new one. It matches perfectly.

This is just a sample of his expertise. But maybe the biggest thing I learned was how, each in his own way, we were both in the same business: putting things back together. Maybe that is why he specializes in buying "basket case" antiques and restoring them. Maybe that is why I think of my writing as being not so much "positive" as it is curative. I think I am trying to put the world, at least my little world, back together...through a respect for all people and an embracing of the small events in my life.

This was quite an antique shop and quite an afternoon...all things considered.