My friend Eric called me that Saturday morning to say that he had just returned from Lynda Barry's basement sale in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle. He said that he and Kelly even bought an original comic at some unbelievably low price. My friend Kirsten happened to be in town that day and we had already made plans to meet. When I told her about the sale she said, "Let's go!".

I did not have a car so we took a cab to Wallingford from Downtown. I also did not have an address but Eric said to look for the homemade signs that said LYNDA BARRY'S BASEMENT SALE (in the recognizable Ernie Pook script). Excitedly, we followed the signs to our destination. It was like walking into a Lynda comic strip. I almost expected to see Marlys to come trotting down the stairs, but I saw Lynda instead. She was selling odds and ends that looked like props from her stories. The handbook on the care of Poodles was an obvious inspiration for the famous "Poodle with a Mohawk" cartoon. I saw a sponge that had LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN printed across it and canisters of some bizarre magic powders. While I was perusing my select choices, Kirsten and Lynda were joking and laughing like they were old friends. I finally got up the courage to actually say hi to Lynda and she asked me what I liked, "Comics!" I said (of course!). Then she gave me a stack of old Comics Journals and Comic Relief's and said I could have them at no charge. I bought nearly everything she showed me including a paperback titled "The Weird World of Gahan Wilson". I loved everything but my favorite finds of the day were: a cool yet odd Japanese book that featured one of Lynda's strips, a series of prints she did about career topics like job interviewing(!), and a Fed-Ex envelope full of Xeroxes from Lynda's "Down the Street" book.

I was happy with my would-be purchases until I saw another customer with an original Lynda Barry drawing in his hand. Kirsten and I looked but did not see any artwork for sale. Finally, with Kirsten's encouragement, I got up the guts to ask Lynda if she had anymore drawings for sale. Sadly, she said she did not, "But maybe I have something upstairs" and off she went. Within a few minutes Lynda returned with a small drawing of a girl drinking coffee and a beatnik Alfred E. Neuman postcard. Both looked as they were just plucked from a bulletin board as they had tack holes at the top of each. Lynda said I could have them for $1 on one condition: as long as they are always together. I immediately agreed to the terms of the sale and then she signed her name on the ink drawing.

I never found out why they must not be apart. I'm guessing they were bulletin board friends that were dating exclusively. But it really did not matter to me. I walked out of Lynda Barry's basement with a big smile on my face and a Safeway bag full o' treasures!

Thanks, Lynda!

Alfred E. Neuman © whatever mega corporation that owns him!

Coffee Girl © The! Lynda! Barry