sympathy, and other London stories

My first full day in Europe, I walked into a souvenir shop by the Tower of London because I was freezing. I was on the lookout for a sweatshirt and a beanie, and no sooner had I stepped inside than the kind staff member there began telling me all about their deals. Why not buy two sweatshirts? They’re on sale, after all. You’ve got to throw in a Paddington Bear keychain with that Mr. Bean one. And come on, check out these magnets, they’re adorable. For me, it was an incredibly familiar scene. I used to sell souvenirs at the Old State House, site of the Boston Massacre, in Massachusetts, and for some bizarre reason have retained many of those promotions in my memory. 3 of these for $10! 2 of those for $25! I remember the way people would agonize at check out when I told them, trying to decide if they really needed another “Join or Die” t-shirt or Boston Tea Party mug. I always felt a bit silly even saying anything. <a href="https://medium.com/@lucywickstrom/sympathy-and-other-london-stories-3b980f5be694">Read More</a>