Thwarted!!!

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhh!

That would be me, Bybee, having a a book-related hissy fit. Let me pick myself up from the floor where I've been lying face down, screaming, kicking my feet and hammering my fists, and I will explain:

Pablo told me about another bookstore in Daegu. Apparently, the prices are better, and even though the selection is smaller, some good stuff can be found there.

Problem: I can't locate this store. I've followed Pablo's directions, and I'm not seeing it! This makes twice I've failed to locate it! Obviously, I'm walking right by it every damn time, and that infuriates me! I can live with being thwarted about many things, but to have a bookstore right under my nose and not be able to get to it makes me crazy! I don't care if it's a teeny tiny hole-in-the-wall and it turns out to be chock-full of Harold Robbins and Danielle Steel! It's still a bookstore, and I really really need [insert pathetic whimper here] to have it on my beat.

After suffering this defeat again, I went back to Kyobo, my regular (and only) bookstore and bought these items:

1. A boxed set of 5 CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS books by Dav Pilkey. I told myself that they're for my students, but are they really? Ever since I visited Dav Pilkey's website, http://www.pilkey.com I've been a huge fan of his. So if these books don't really click with my students, then nuts to them. I'll read them myself!

2. SISTER CARRIE by Theodore Dreiser. Ever since finishing the James M. Cain omnibus, I've been a little bereft, wishing for more of his work. I'm hoping that a foray back into naturalism via Dreiser will fill the bill. Like Cain, Dreiser worked as a journalist and spent time hanging out with H.L. Mencken. If I had my druthers, I'd be reading Dreiser's JENNIE GERHARDT (I've wanted to since Harvey Pekar gave it a favorable review in AMERICAN SPLENDOR --both comic and movie--) but I've been unable to procure a copy.

Regarding my elusive bookstore: I can't give up. I mustn't give up. Even though it's going to hurt my pride, I have to go back to Pablo and admit that even with general but good directions, the bookstore is still out of my grasp. Ouch. It hurts to admit it to myself, my blog!

How in the hell can I possibly miss locating a bookstore? You'd think my bookwormy radar would've blinded and deafened me and turned me to stone everytime I overshot the place!