Prosaic Poppy 2005-2006

The Patient Book

I received a copy of this book in 1999. I was about quarter into it when it was lost.

As I recall, I was getting into my car, and because putting things on the roof of my car as I loaded the children in was a habit of mine, I forgot it was there and drove away.

Distraction is another habit of mine.

I managed to break the first of those two bad habits when I lost my planner containing my rent payment and paycheck via the same way. I think I will always suffer from distraction.

I was extremely upset over losing the book, [more so the rent payment]. However, the book was replaceable, so I bought a new copy. This copy.

I barely picked it up to start again,when I began college in 2000.

A distraction of a bigger sort you could say...

The book was put down on the shelf, though not forgotten.

It was relocated from apartment to box to apartment to box a few times over.
And last year, I read close to 15 books, never picking this one up.
Yet, whenever I would see it I would think: "I should read that book."

Admittedly, this book has been my safety net. Knowing that I will always have something to read if I run out of other good books to read has been a bit of a comfort.

Tonight as I was contemplating buying a new book, one that I have been considering for some time, but putting off because I always put my book purchases at the bottom of the list of necessities, I spied this book sitting on the shelf.

It is one of the few of my books that survived the flood. Its pages are warped and wrinkled, but intact. It was spared the mold damage that my other books undertook, therefore not thrown away.

Tomorrow is technically "my" day. Kimi will be at daycare, and I have the afternoon free after my volunteer work is through. I received tea and chocolate as a graduation gift from a close friend. All equalling the clear fact that I will need a book to read. But I really shouldn't buy one right now. I would be an irresponsible squander that I can't reconcile, therefore wouldn't enjoy.

The book looked back at me from the shelf, not so much accusingly for it's years of neglect and battery. More like with pleading, as if to ask..."When will I be able to share my story with you?"

I picked up the book, slipped my favorite book marker into the first page and brought it downstairs.

"How does tomorrow sound to you?"

posted by Kassi Gilbert @ 8:08 PM