enriching more than flour
23/12/2009
We’ve recently rediscovered the library. You know. That place with lots of books, cold-as-ice glares when you sneeze and musty shelves of heavy-as-heck hardcovers in pristine condition. Apparently people went there for information. You know. Back in the dark ages. As recently as the late 1990s.
I think. I can’t be sure. Me and libraries, well. We didn’t have too much fun together. I think it began one day, in primary 3 or 4. I forget. Anyway, I went to the primary school library to return a book. The teacher there said there was one more book I hadn’t returned. I was stunned, it can’t be. I didn’t have any other books in my bag. I didn’t leave any at home. She turned me away and walked off.
My buddy at that time, and I still remember her name, which is no mean feat, because I haven’t spoken to her in more than 20 years – she transferred to I have no idea where at the end of the year – took the loaner card out of my sleeve and gave it to me. “Go” she said, looking around.
I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I took it and left. It turned out to be the card for the book that I was supposed to have loaned. The title seemed familiar, but I thought I’d returned it a few days ago. I was super perplexed, and the way my friend tried to help me out made me feel like a criminal.
A few days later, a younger schoolmate I took the schoolbus with gave me the book that was missing. She said she took it from my bag to read while we were waiting for the bus.
But it was done. I avoided the library like the plague, and I stopped being nice to the younger students. They were nothing but trouble!
Anyway. The Patron Saint of Libraries here did a number on me, I guess. The number happens to be 50. I get to check out 50 books for 3 weeks. I also get to check out 10 DVDs/CDs/VCDs a week.
What liberation! We started out borrowing documentaries. Since it beats reading! We quickly went through the stuff of interest. Now we’re borrowing j-doramas. I’m even making plans to hit the other libraries in the vicinity when we exhaust the little one near us.
The strange thing I notice is this. The people at libraries, are old. They are generally older than me. Old ladies, retiree looking folks, middle aged folks. I feel young in SF libraries. I don’t know if it’s the sign of the times – kids use the internet, I suppose – or location, time of day, etc. I would’ve figured more kids around since it is next to a school. But it’s fine. Kids smell funny anyway.
Old school, it seems, can sometimes be enriching too.
