Fun and games at the tempe tip

So away I browsed, hopeful and doubtful of finding anything decent. For some reason I thought I might find a science gem - like the time I picked up a second hand volume of the Feynman lectures on physics.

Instead I found Tattoos On My Soul - From The Ghetto To The Top Of The World. This was a cover that had a lot going for it - as anyone who knows me would agree. An entree into the world of black American gangsta culture, an amusing name (Burrel Lee Wilks III) and standout cover quotes. One from megaproducer / big fat violent guy Suge (pronounced shoodge) Knight, although I don't understand why he put quote marks inside a quote. The other was from none other than babyfaced (him not her. although she does kind of have one too. i had a crush on her after somersault) Abbie Cornish-lover Ryan Phillippe. His quote is notable for its absence of adjectives and nouns - a good hint it may have been taken out of context.

I turned to the back and discovered a quote from Baron Davis, the man more responsible than any other for Golden State Warriors' recent resurgence (since opted out and gone to Clips, but thassanutha story). I flipped open the book and discovered to my incredible shock that it contained an authentic dedication, penned by the author himself to un certain Tim. For everything you have done for me and my brother. Who is this Tim? Could it be Tim Webster? Tim Bailey? Both! What did he do for Burrel and his brother? Sell him life insurance? Look after his labradoodle? Commit perjury?

I was momentarily saddened that such a lauded and autographed book was now sitting amongst worthless duds on a crappy old bookshelf. One day, I hope to meet someone who's read the book, that I might discover its contents.

Grimly but eagerly I trudged onwards, stupidly and predictably ignoring my true mission to search for furniture, and this time I found something equally amazing - the Power 2000. This was, to my eyes, a carbon copy of the AbFlex, a circa '96 televmarketing piece of crap that my beloved father purchased in a moment of deep insanity. The red end is nestled into your stomach flab, the handles are gripped (from beneath I think) and the body is pulled inwards to you, against all odds plus the resistance of a piece of stretchy rubber on the underside. The rubber broke on my dad's one and they sent him a new part. I dont know where the aBfleX is now. I can't recall how much they were selling the Power 2000 for, but whatever it was it's too much.