Chapter 4: A stroll in the Garden

excerpt: " ( When mother nature is drawing close to another chapter in her book of seasons she likes to finish them hastily.)"

Chapter 4

“ A stroll in the garden “

The book of summer was drawing to a close, the final pages were being whipped through at an inexorable rate. ( When mother nature is drawing close to another chapter in her book of seasons she likes to finish them hastily.) So forth, within a few weeks of Rose’s junior year in high-school, the days were beginning to retire early, and the cool, fall winds were gradually pushing the hot and warm winds of summer onward way to her grand odyssey. 

Rose frequently had her Dad drop her off at the library after school, rather then returning home with him.

Rose loved the library, the sight and smell of books, the sound of soft pages being turned and flipped captivated her imagination. The Carnegie Library was a very nice one, too! If that may be added. The entrance had a high ceiling, and was separated  by automatic doors from the rest of the library. On the righthand side were some comfortable padded cushioned benches and three large windows that almost reached the ceiling which allowed for a descent view of the world outside. On the opposite, or lefthand side were the book and audio drop offs, and a large television was positioned above them. After passing through the entrance on the lefthand side were the checkouts, a rather large section of used books, the elevator and the staircase that led upstairs. if one looked on their righthand side they would see the public wheelchairs, and a very small gift shop that sold teas, jewelry and charming novelties. There was also two vending machines, one for coffee, and the other for teas, water and soft drinks. Withal, a short staircase that led to the downstairs section was also on the righthand side.

If one took the larger staircase upstairs they would find the magazine selection, next to a descent work, study, and recreation area. A little further off were the CDs, and adult books. Tucked far back in the corner was a pleasant study area, with three large windows that overlooked a fairly large blue church. Inside this study were to desks carved finely of wood, and two comfortable couches. Pastel colored paintings were hung upon each wall.  Rose, and her dearest friend loved to come in and study here. They wished sometimes that they might live here! Upstairs, there was also a very little staircase that took one to the very large, and nice children's section and computers.

If someone were to take the smaller case downstairs ( located on the ground floor, said thereof above ) they would find on their lefthand side some work studies, adequately sized to fit two people, sound proof, some had accommodating typewriters, and computers, others were empty. Next to these booths were the adult computers, and many books for reference. The whole library was painted in a dark blue, with maroon, light blue, and wood hues.

Rose’s very favorite section, however was the section of used books. The books were only a dollar a piece, many were books discarded by the library that were no longer being checked out, or were wearing out. Some others  were donations. Rose had found many useful books, concerning many historical subjects that she appreciatively, and respectively added to her growing library.

Most of the time, Rose would head directly for that section upon arriving to the library. If there’d happen to be someone else browsing through the selection she would retreat upstairs, or downstairs, and return to look at the books before she took her leave. 

This particular day, there was another whom was browsing through the books before Rose had arrived, but Rose had paid no attention as she approached the shelves.

There was a man crouched down upon the floor. He was a few years over middle age. He wore nice, beige, casual slacks, with a white shirt with thin, vertical, tannish stripes running parallel upon it. Overtop of that he wore a decent beige coat that matched his slacks respectivly. His face was rather angular, his chin was fashioned into a v-shape, his nose was a little larger than normal and hooked slightly. His eye brows were a peppery color, and the skin around them, down to the cheeks was dotted with small age spots.

When Rose had approached behind him, before noticing the books, she noticed first how silvery his hair was, and how it gleamed like polished silver in the light emitted from the ceiling. Rose noticed too, how mesmerized this man seemed to be into the book he was holding.

Rose peered over his shoulder to see what print was so fascinating, but the man was staring at a blank page. Rose watched as the man moved his hand over the page, and it was their that she perceived it. There was a mark, an emblem stamped onto the page. It wasn’t inked into the book, it was pressed into it. Hardly a second had passed and Rose knew to whom the book once belonged, for she had boughten many books with this emblem inscribed.

“ Did that book belong to a Mr. Ronald E. Martin?”

At first the man did not notice Rose, he continued to brush his hand over the mark. After a grueling second he turned and espied Rose, he glared at her dauntingly. Rose noticed how bright his dark brown eyes were.

“ Yes, it did, once.” He turned around and continued to stare into the mark. When he spoke, it was not like he was talking to another. Rose seemed just like a ghost.

“ Ah!” Rose didn’t loose any enthusiasm. She smiled brightly. “ I’ve boughten a few books here with that name inscribed in it. Did you know Mr. Martin?”

The man stood up, and looked toward Rose, ( not directly at her, his gaze was very distant from where he stood ) “ Yes a long time ago.”

Rose’s cognition didn’t seem to grasp that this man seemingly did not wish momentarily to converse with anyone..

“ That is interesting!” She exclaimed with a bounty of enthusiasm.

The man tittered. Rose watched with upmost attentiveness as the man pulled out what appeared to be his wallet, and from it withdrew an old, but at the same time a well taken care of photograph and showed it to Rose.

The picture was of a man. His head was square shaped, and compact. His ears were small and folded in, and protruded quite predominantly. This man’s smile, too, was quite short like the rest of him. However though, his eyes were bright and distinctive. The small, square glasses with a thick brim that were perched before those eyes, added definition, and shrewdness to this gentleman’s physique. He sat at a desk, his legs crossed. One hand laid upon his lap, and the other held a long smoking pipe. A large window, and bookshelf standing proudly next to it encompassed the background of this portrait. And tucked away in the corner of the photograph was a large plant.

“ This is Mr. Martin?? When was this picture taken, sir?”

The man glanced at the picture before placing back into his wallet. “ I believe it was taken in fifty-seven.”

“ Oh!” Rose really was interested, she loved antiques and history of any kind. “ Thank you for showing me.”

The man smiled, and tittered again, but he did not look at Rose. Without another word passing between them the man walked away. Rose watched him; she began to  feel disheartened, but she shrugged it off. She finally knew who her book collection’s benefactor was. So, that was satisfying in itself.

Reviews

[ravena]

This is astonishing I wish I had half of your gifted writing skills !! You do have a very small error though. you used the word "to" instead of "Two". but that's so small no one really care !! Keep up the good work

your friend forever,raven