The Curiosity Shop (part I)

This is the first piece ...

Many years ago, in the Old Town of Edinburgh, there was a shop that sold curiosities.

Every day, as people walked by the shop, they stopped to look in the window. They gazed at the shelves, which were crammed full of knick-knacks, vintage crockery and antique ornaments, exotic carvings, odd coins and medals, fading photographs, prints and postcards, and countless other curious things.

However, nobody went into the shop.

Day after day, passers-by stopped for a moment to look in the window. They looked at the curious collection of strange and old and mysterious objects. They wondered what they might be. It was a pleasant distraction from their daily routine.

But nobody went into the shop.

And then, one day, when people walked by the shop and looked in the window, they discovered something surprising. There was nothing in the window. The shelves were completely empty.

There was only a sign on the door: Out of business.