Allow the following to be the proper introduction of Karen.  I don't wish to spoil much more than the fact that you'll be hearing from her a lot more as the story progresses.  Lemme hear what you think.

Yours truly,

Teej

Karen, Most of the Time

There are shelves of them.  Numerous bindings placed shoulder to shoulder, each containing an even greater quantity of pages.  They decorated the room with their knowledge of printed wisdom; towering in a remarkable heap.  It wasn’t just the books though.  It was something more, something intangible for her.  It was the books, but it was also the antique shelves; the old hardwood floor; the authentic architecture and the dust which had subsequently gathered due to its age; even the sliding ladder for access to higher volumes.  Like something out of a fairytale, she’d often think.  What intensified that feeling further was that it was hers; she was in charge of it all.  It may have just been a sizable ‘hole in the wall’, but it was her ‘hole in the wall’; a place she could get away to; a place she felt safe.

“So, do you guys sell music at all?”

Silvia looked around her, examining the various stacks of novels, and over occupied shelves beyond before looking back at the customer who’d just inquired.  She was wearing an Alice in Wonderland T-shirt that was at least a size too big with a pair of worn looking jeans.  She smiled behind cheap, yet somehow holding a stylish gleam, glasses.

“Just fucking with ya.  I bet I wasn’t the first to ask that one though.”

“If only,” Silvia laughed.  “It’d be too much to ask people to use common sense.”

“Oh but you got it made.  You got the people who actually read books.  I have to deal with the ones that just pretend to.”

“You work in politics?”

“HA!  No, got a barista job at this café.  Get a lot of vain, stupid apes constantly filing through.”

“A bookshop can be difficult,” Silvia tried to argue but had a hard time believing it.

“How so?”

“Just because they buy them, doesn’t mean the read them and a lot of weird people read books.  You don’t even know.  I had to kick a guy out last week because he spent close to an hour browsing in order to sneak peeks at my ass.”

She leaned over the counter to lend her own inspection.  “You can at least give the guy credit for having taste.  Think about it though; do you want to put that against fauxsters, self-entitled pricks, and homeless people?”

Silvia shrugged, “Yeah, I’m not touching that.”

“I’d take on a dozen horny, middle aged housewives after the same Barbara Cartland novel over having to send another less fortunate individual out into the cold after close.”

“But of course.  Have you seen those brawls?  We’re thinking of televising them soon.”

“I might have to pick up cable if that’s the case.”

“Constantly draws in a betting crowd, just stop by on a Thursday.”

The two shared a full hearted laugh over the image they’d created with their combined imaginations.

“What have you got their?”  She handed over the title she kept behind her back, reading the title in disbelief, “‘Patriotic Poetry’?  ‘A History of the Songs of War?’”

“Yeah, don’t judge.  It’s for a class and I’m already miserable about it.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“It means something.  What’s your name?”

“Silvia,” she held out her hand.

“I’m Karen…Most of the time.”

Punching at the register, Silvia prepared a receipt.  “Karen, the total is coming to Thirty Eight even.”

“Right, and, umm… Are you new here?”

“Few months, why?”

She grew nervous, “So you….Is Steve here?”

She thought for a moment before realizing what she was on about.

“I was told there was this offer going around for students…”

“Right… Uh…lemme check.  Just a second.”

There was a hall from the shop that led to a few other rooms including a kitchen Rain had annexed towards the back.  Luckily, she happened to be in.

“Hey, Rain?”

She sat at the table hot gluing googly eyes on dismembered action figures for whichever reason.  Looking up, she smiled at Silvia.

“What is it Silve?”

She paused, almost disturbed by the sight.  “What on earth are you doing?”

“I can’t go and spoil the surprise just yet.  It’s something I’ve been working on.  You’ll see it once it’s done.  It’ll be fantastic.”

“Right…Well, we got a customer who asked about a ‘student special’?”

“Is it Mike?”

“No.  Do you know a Karen?”

“Such a sweet girl.  Second drawer on the right, give her two and tell her I said ‘hello’.”

Silvia opened the drawer to find individually wrapped bake goods stashed within.  “Rain, you bake these yourself?”

“Of course.  Have my own recipe and everything; they’re kind of a specialty of mine.  I have to hide them from Steven.  You’re welcome to have one.”

Her curiosity prompted her to examine one in her hand, giving it a sniff.

“They’re fairly strong, this batch.  You might want to warn her.”

Rain’s laugh followed Silvia back to the counter where Karen was still waiting.  Just another bizarre aspect of her job she couldn’t help but love.

“And she returns!”

“Rain wanted me to give you these and to say ‘hello’ for her.”

“Two?!”

“She also thought it best to warn you of their potency.”

“That woman.  What is she working on this time?”

“Who knows.”

“She’s a sweetheart, both of them; if only I landed a job here…Have you tried one of her brownies?”

“Can’t say as I have.”

“Best in the world, hands down; you can quote me on it.  Alright, so I’m going to get out of your hair, but I expect you to come down to Baron Café sometime, right?  First cups on me.”

“Sounds good.”

“Awesome; see you around Silvia.”