HELTER SKELTER BOOKS
The helter skelter itself was rescued from a
derelict pier by an anonymous bookdealer and relocated to a quiet corner in a
nearby park. Its blistered deckchair stripes rise unexpectedly from between the
conifers. A small sign beside the often shut door advises visitors that there
are no formal opening times and to please do try again. When the door stands
ajar you can venture into the dim, salty smelling interior. As you climb the
tight curl of the staircase a single, packed bookshelf winds alongside you, but
it is difficult to read the spines in the splintered light.
The round room at the top is tiny and thick with
books. There is no room for a bookseller, only an honesty box and a pile of
paper bags and sellotape dispenser. So you must pack your own purchase before
you take up a hessian mat from beside the exit and set off down the slide.