Words On A Page

A short story I wrote while stroking the bindings of the books on my shelves.............I'm strange and I admit it.

The minute I get in the door, I drop my things and climb onto the arm of the couch. I do this so my hands can stroke their bindings. They feel smooth, almost soft, to the touch of my small ten-year-old hands. I take my favorite one off of the shelf and open it to page one hundred and sixty five, the one I'd memorized so well. I take a huge sniff, and the smell transports me home. I stop for a moment and think, How could nothing but words on a page do so much for me? I stop and consider it for a moment, then my mind comes to a conclusion. I don't know. All I know is that I don't think I'll ever stop. And I go back to heaven. 

Reviews

[steppenwolf]

Ooooh. Oh yes. Wonderful, evocative of so many emotions. You and I--and I think a lot of others too--feel this way about books, how exciting they are, comforting, always there for you. I have many quite private feelings about the physical aspects of a book, how the paper smells, what is on the cover, who did the art work, and much more. I love your question: How could nothing but words on a page do so much for me? What's the answer? Who knows. I could never read anything electronically either. I've loved books since I was a toddler.

[Isabelle Howard]

Finding a review on my writing makes my heart sing, but finding one like this? It makes my day.
read moreFinding a review on my writing makes my heart sing, but finding one like this? It makes my day.
Thank you, Steppenwolf.

[Marie]

You are like me. I don't just read books, I feel the bindings and the pages...that's why I don't care for Kindle...

[Isabelle Howard]

Exactly! I absolutely refuse to read electronically. Books are my life.

[Sandy Lynne]

This is really great.

Little type-o: "pave" should be "page" in the sentence "I take my favorite one off of the shelf and open it to page one hundred and sixty-five."

I also noted how interesting your word choice was that you "get" in the door rather than "walk" through it. I liked the way you put it. I just read an article in Poets & Writers on word choice and they mentioned something similar to this technique. Whether or not it was intentional, I thought it was catching.

I don't find you strange for stroking the bindings of your books on the shelves. Wherever it is you find your inspiration, keep going... :)

[Isabelle Howard]

Thank you! I will change the typo.........slip of the finger.