A Pawnshop of the Mind: In Praise of Object-Based Writing
The article reflects on the author's experiences with Franca, a unique pawnshop owner in Nebraska, who taught the author about the significance of objects and their stories. Franca's shop was a chaotic yet meaningful space where discarded items were transformed and given new life. Through her creative expressions and the stories behind the objects, Franca helped the author find clarity and joy in life.
- ▪Franca owned a pawnshop in Nebraska that was filled with a variety of unique and discarded items.
- ▪She taught the author that objects have power and can be remade into something new and meaningful.
- ▪Franca's approach to her shop emphasized the importance of storytelling through objects, allowing for personal and creative expression.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
“What we call the beginning is often the end And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” –TS Eliot, from “A Little Gidding” from The Four Quartets *Article continues after advertisement Franca owned a pawnshop in a small town in Nebraska where Railroad Street intersects the loneliest stretch of windy I-80. She had an accent I couldn’t place and never asked or learned about, hair dyed a purplish red, a love for lace-trimmed floral dresses with puffy sleeves, and for a time she was my only friend after I wandered into her shop one day in 1990 looking like the sad teenager I was.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Literary Hub.
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