Wanting to read Fahrenheit 451, I went to Amazon.com to check it out in the Kindle Store. To my surprise, not available. Now what? Buy the book on-line and wait for it, read it and then do what with it? Sell it in our next yard sale?
But wait a minute. Somewhere from the depths of my memory, I felt a stirring. Then it came back to me. The library. You know, the place with books, you can check out for free?
Today I got a Richmond City library card. I then promptly went to the card catalog to locate my book. Did you know they no longer have wooden drawers with index cards in them?
In any event, I went to the Science Fiction section and there, arranged alphabetically by author's last name, was my book by Ray Bradbury. It felt good in my hands. I carefully opened the cover, seeing the 1967 last printing date, I thought of all the people who had read this very book I was holding. It was a good feeling. A feeling of connectedness. This feeling continued when, in a neighborhood library full of people, I spotted an acquaintance, we waved, sharing a smile.
Next week, after reading Fahrenheit 451, I will walk to the library, getting some fresh air, exercise, see what's new in the neighborhood, and check out my next book to read, Catcher in the Rye.
You guessed it. This isn't available at the Kindle Store either.
If one didn't understand, they may wonder why I am glad this was so.
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