So, this was weird. I was out on the patio today, enjoying the sunshine and the fact that it was a Saturday, and I was reading a book. A real book, not an electronic one. It was the last book I bought before I got my Kindle; Sue Grafton's "U is for Undertow." I was reading right along and as I reached page 75 I noticed that the page had a faint mark on it. I took a closer look, and I could see that the page had been dog-eared. I bent the corner, and, sure enough, it turned right along the crease. Today was the first time I had read the book, so I didn't do it, although I will admit that I had to think about it. But, no, it wasn't me. How odd. Someone else had done it. This led to all kinds of thoughts. I think I bought the book at Wal-Mart, but I am not sure. It would have been Wal-Mart or Target, because I haven't been in a bookstore in a while. The book otherwise looks new; the dust jacket and everything is pristine, or at least it was before I roughed it up on the patio today. In any case, the simple crease on a book page made me wonder about so much.
What could have happened? I never before thought about returning a book. I can see why someone would, for instance, if they received two of the same book as a gift. Even if that happened to me, I doubt that I would have returned it. I am too lazy. I probably would have given it away, maybe to Goodwill. But, would I have read it first, before returning it? No way! So what else could it have been? Maybe someone stood in the book section at Wal-Mart, reading for free. Ok, maybe, but would they have marked page 75? Page 75? Why, so that when they returned the next day they would know where they left off? Was it a Wal-Mart associate? Now that makes sense. But, do they "let" you do that at Wal-Mart? I once heard that Books-A-Million associates get to read any book they want. For some reason I kind of doubt that Wal-Mart would be the same way, but maybe.
I used to religiously check books out of the library, and I was always a little grossed out by the thought of all the hands that were on the book before mine. I always wondered at the little "noted" mark written on any damage. Sometimes it would say "noted" and I couldn't tell what the problem was. It looked ok to me, before someone "noted" invisible damage. I wondered if the library workers checked every book, or what. I always hated when I opened a book and the smell of cigarette smoke wafted from the pages. If a borrowed library book smells like cigarette smoke, imagine what the borrower's house smells like! And I especially hated running across what looked like a booger on a page. Disgusting!
The mystery of who read this book before I bought it will never be solved. It would make a good short story. Life from a library book's perspective would make a good story! Imagine if those books could talk! If they could I doubt any of us would bring one in the house...
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