Heh, it's okay--I'll be the first to admit that both the narrative writing and the dialogue are pretty much the opposite of natural. In the end, I think it's a bit like The Scarlet Letter--it's the story itself that captivates me.

Oh, wow, the consignment store sounds awesome. I may have located a good set of dishes/cookware, but--man, I wish I could go browse places like that myself. I never really know what I want until I see it.