Less thrilling were all the jars of dead animals, or their bones or teeth, which the owner had ordered from dissecting suppliers. These were holdovers from older traditions, practices before witchcraft gained mass popularity in the 60s and 70s. Some of the rituals from older spell books got really nasty. (Jim Haskins' Voodoo and Hoodoo had spells involving constipation, impotence, and bladder disorders-blech!) One of the just-hired clerks got really upset about the bats in the bottles ("Mousies with wings!"). I constantly explained to grossed-out customers why they were there; my personal view is that there are plenty of other ways to accomplish your goal that don't involve hurting an animal, like collecting the fallen feathers from a dove, or gathering the fur when you brush your cat. However, the owner wouldn't change his mind on this no matter how many times we tried to talk him out of it.

- from Working in Luck: Behind the Counter of an Occult Shop by Lilah Wild


Illustration by Timothy Renner.