Kramerbooks & Afterwords

A friend sent me this photo of Kramerbooks & Afterwords, a book store/cafe/24-hour sanctuary that we used to frequent back when I lived in Washington D.C. many moons ago.

Shortly after college, I moved to our nation's capitol with a group of really close friends. This was probably the most special time in my life. Yes, I'm happy with my life now, but this period is forever preserved in my memory as perfect. I was 24, and still believed that everything was possible, like becoming U.S. Poet Laureate. *smile*

Kramer's was (is?) a small, independent bookstore, so when I walked in I was overwhelmed by paperbacks. Rows and rows of glossy paperbacks that I'd buy just because I liked the covers. And in back, there was a restaurant that served okay food and desserts. We'd never go there for dinner, but they were good for nachos and a slice of cheesecake. We'd sit for hours drinking coffee and tea, and then walk around the monuments at midnight--just because we could! (I was in great shape then, because I wasn't really trying. It was just fun.)

We did a lot of dreaming at Kramer's. That was our spot to celebrate and commiserate. It didn't matter that we were poor--you know, that 20-something-I'm-poor-but-will-spend-my-income-on-stupid-stuff-poor. We'd go there at 11:30 p.m. Saturday nights so we could get early editions of the Sunday Washington Post and look for our dream jobs. We'd talk about dating and not dating, travel, and how everyone else seemed to have it all wrong except us.

I haven't Googled them yet but I believe Kramer's is still in existence at DuPpont Circle, at least I hope it is. And I'm happy to say that I will be meeting these same friends for lunch in a few hours. I think we still see ourselves as those same 20-somethings who planned on taking life by the balls and making it scream for mercy. And while I don't think that everything is possible, I do believe that anything is possible.

Thanks for sending along the photo, "Suck Patch!" (You know who you are!)