Goodbye book-buffet by Junior Win

In the first week of the December of this year 2015, I saw the advertisement of book-Buffet. It would held at Myanmar Book Centre for 3 days. In my experience, book-buffet was quite interesting for book lover. I remembered when I met book-buffet a year ago, it was exciting.

(I saw people were eager to collect books.)

I planned to go on the second day with my friend. When we were at the entrance, I saw a lot of people ahead there. There were 3 or 4 tables on which books might be put. I could not see any book, because people crowded around the table, and filled the place. I stood behind them, and looking over their shoulders. I saw many colourful books and comics. I hoped to find my favorites. But most of the comics and books were very old and outdated, some pages were losing, all looked like trash and waste. I felt unhappy to see those happening. Some people there seemed eager to choose among those books. I tried to pick one by one. After collecting about 20 comics, I went to buy a bag for ten thousand kyats at the counter. To my surprised, ten-thousand-kyat bags seemed a little bit smaller (I think the bag I had seen a year ago, were bigger than this! Maybe I am wrong. Let it be.) So, I bought a bag for twenty thousand kyats.

After putting my collected books inside the bag, it was full in an instant. I went to the counter to stamp the final seal. They said some of my books were mounted over the edge of the bag. They said I should have to go and see their sample bag. Yes, I see – a sample bag with sample books inside, and they were fully put inside the bag. Oh! Amazing! I would have to do as their sample bag do! They did not allow the bag which were mounted with books over the edge of the bag. So I have to cancel some of my books! It sounded like their rules were changed! Ok! Let it be.

(We have to do as their sample bag do.)

My friend did not buy any bag, and said that all the books here were too old. I heard my father told me about books, how rich books in foreign countries. But we are in Burma, we are beggars cannot be choosers. I could not help my hungry for books. I also saw some people gave up and back their home without buying books (I mean, any bag.).

I returned home with 12 books – old and outdated books – for 20000 kyats. I am decided I will never go to the book-buffet again. Goodbye book-buffet.