| I checked out a Sherwood Anderson novel titledTriumph of the Egg.I had read most of his short stories and his immortal novel,Winesburg, Ohio.When I signed out this one an old prune-faceflashed a tentative librarian smile,stamped "SEPT 7 2004" on the inside cover,and surrendered the book to scruffy old me.I notice that I am onlythe 13th person to check out this booksince Nov. 1, 1981.I observe that no one even touched this bookin 1983, 1985 or 1991.I think about this library wherethe checkout lines are always long,the book return bin is always overflowing,and the clean cut kids are always scurrying around,putting books up on the shelvesand wonder "What the hell are people reading?" |