I recently started sitting in on David Harvey’s class on Karl Marx’s Capital. Before the first day of class, I really didn’t know that Marx wrote three volumes of Capital. So, when I went to get my copy at Greenpoint’s Word bookstore last Sunday, I wasn’t terribly specific about asking them to order Volume One when they didn’t have it on their shelves.

Tonight, I went by, and oops! They ordered Volume 3. I probably won’t be caught up on the reading for next Monday’s class, but I’m hoping that I can get close after I get my copy this Friday. I know it’s a bit silly to wait to get a book from my local bookstore when I could just go to Barnes & Noble or order from Amazon myself, but there’s something kind of great about getting to know the people that work at Word. Even though they didn’t have the book I came in to get, and even inadvertently wrong volume, I was able to connect to these people that serve my and my neighbors’ hunger for knowledge. I’m able to engage with each employee in a neighborly way, and feel a sense of generosity flow from their store to me, and back again. Persevering to get my copy of Capital from Word has become a bit more than being true to the mission of this project- I’m getting know and like this place in my neighborhood- and that’s great for both of us.

Update: I picked up the right volume today, and to my surprise and benefit, I received a 10% discount for my troubles. That doesn’t happen with Amazon! Thanks, Word.