Yesterday’s Telegraph ran a great article about Brian Rafferty who runs the Broughton Street Book Shop in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Brian presents customers with a pamphlet that reads:
“With the help of my family and friends I have opened this second-hand bookshop and intend to support myself, and give a purpose to my life. I don’t think I am unemployable.”
You see, Brian suffers from Aspberger’s syndrome and cerebral palsy which, despite qualifications and good a good work ethic, seems to have prevented Brian from getting a job, or even an interview for that matter.
To set Brian up in the bookshop, his family sent out requests to friends for donations of books. The family was deluged with books and the shop opened in March of this year. (A portion of the profits from the bookshop is donated to the National Autistic Society.)
“The shop means a lot to me,” Brian says. “I can’t get a job but I want to do something useful with my time. I love it when people come in to buy a book and stop for a chat, I’ve made quite a few new friends.“
