Monday, March 03, 2008

the habits of an addict

Books have to be heavy because the whole world’s inside them.—Cornelia Funke, Inkheart

We are the Jasons; we have won the fleece.—Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

I’m beginning to wonder if I have a serious problem. The librarians certainly seem to think so.

I come to the library alone, half an hour before closing, and try to look innocent until I can duck out of sight, behind the kids’ stacks. And then, from my coat sleeve, I pull the handwritten list of the books I’m hoping to find. I move quickly, tucking books into my large red bag, muttering those three-letter call numbers over and over as I work down the aisles. (There’s a girl at the far end of one aisle who backs away when she sees me. Do I look too focused? I smile. But instead of looking reassured, she seems to change her mind about the value of visiting the library.)

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Posted by Jenn Langefeld on 03/03 at 06:27 PM
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