I head to this place occasionally. I don't like others to spot me here. Plus, the job's usually over in half an hour or less. And yesterday I was tempted to come here for no solid reason. I think it's the company you keep that makes you 'do that thing you do'. I'll try to be careful next time. Anyways, I've promised myself never fall to such temptation again. You can't really predict when your screws fail you. I thought I would only go there for a 'change of scene', but...
:-)
Before you make any judgement calls, here's a spoiler: This place I head to now and then has its Latin root - liber.
The college library till now has only been to me, a book-lender meant to save some bucks I could spend elsewhere. I also find myself making the monthly doorstep visit to save me from fines. Reissue is the term for it.
I remember back in the 'day' (roughly 10 years from now), when Mommy( a working lady) used to force a sulking me, and book-o-phillic sister into the air conditioned library during those summers when I would have rather swung the willow even at 40+ degree scorch. I think I was naive not to demand pocket money for the 9 hour torture I had to sit through, which was my parents' idea of free and constructive babysitting. Little did mommy know that instead of being a good sonny and reading bound volumes, Suppandi, Shikaari Shambu, Kapish, Cheeku, Chacha Chaudhry, Superman, Batman and the band had come to my rescue. Sis however, kept herself occupied with 300 odd page reads more often than not.
Fast forward to 2009
I now flash my library-card and bow gently to Saraswati and her veena, and find myself greeted with volumes of books whose spines are the only parts that I've ever cared to read. They give their usual haughty attitude and sneer - not that easy to miss. And I still look up to my saviors of yore. But I've never found them here. Not once. That's why these walls suck! (Suck! - would that be called blasphemy?) I understand that I'm on ground where equations and refined logical verses bounce off the walls. I wouldn't want anyone to hope I'd fall prey to their triggered excitation and explode! Far from that.
I'm as 'responsible' as I was back then. Chuckles.
One thing I never miss when I get here are young Mr.s and Ms.s trying to make 'combined and fruitful' study. I've never succeeded at that. I'd never like to be spotted with a lady over here. C'mon guys, isn't it like watching a good movie with blaring music in the background?
I made a trip to renew books yesterday.
Next one's due in 4 weeks.
Sigh.
