Richard smiled as he left the bookstore carrying a big bag of books. He's planning a road trip so he wanted some guide books to study.
"I like going to the bookstore with you, Linda." He wrapped his arm around my waist. "It's like having my own personal library."
"But when you check out the books you have to give them money instead of a library card." I patted his bag as it swung by his side. I made it out without a single new title that day. My pride in my new found willpower overflowed.
"I think I'm turning into an addict like you." Richard announced.
Richard is not a book reader. He has a very short attention span so magazines are more his style. He loves having all my books around but he doesn't read any of them. And he has a very compulsive personality. Once he finds something he likes, it's all he can think about. If he's turning into a book addict we might really be in trouble.
When we got home, he spent the rest of the afternoon pouring through his new books.
The next morning he announced, "I need you to go to the bookstore today and return my books."
"I'm not returning your books. You bent the covers." I was appalled at the thought of taking a book back to the store.
"But I'm done with them," he whined.
"But you used them. You can't return them." I've never returned a book in my life. Once it's paid for it's for keeps. I could probably have taken my dream trip around the world, first class if I'd returned all seventy six titles I have laying around. It's one of those unwritten rules about books. Once they're home, they stay home.
He backed down. "I'll return them. You drive me there."
"If I have to..." I responded.
At the store, Richard headed toward the cashier and I made a beeline to as far away from him as possible. I didn't want anyone to associate me with a man who would return books. I was certain the clerk would be able to see that the books had been used. I felt like I was in that Seinfeld episode when George took the book into the bathroom and the store wouldn't take it back. They could tell where it had been. I kept one ear listening in his direction just in case there was a scuffle.
I looked up to see Richard standing by my side.
"She didn't even question me. Here's the receipt for the credit." He handed me a crumpled up piece of paper.
I stuffed it in my purse. "She just took them back?"
"See Linda, it is just like at the library. But without the library card."
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