Kindling the beast within ;)

I’ve always hated lending my books to others. There are only a few handpicked people who have been allowed a glimpse of my collection. I am very particular [bordering on being psychotic] about how my books are handled. The only sign that the books have been read are the lines on the spine of the books I have. I do not have dog eared books, I don’t write or mark pages in my books, the pages of my books don’t come off and if they do I take care of them immediately. My biggest compliment ever to a person is when I let them borrow a book from me. I could not bestow any higher gesture of trust than that. During my French classes, on the days that I reached early I would sit at the back of the class and read a book while waiting for my class to commence. A girl who did not belong in my batch looked at the book I was reading and asked me if I could lend it to her after I was done reading it. I gave her my “eyebrows raised high” look. She misunderstood it to mean that I would lend her the book. Two days later she asked for it and this time I decided to speak and told her, “I don’t know you, why would I lend you my book?” I got the oddest looks from people. She said, “It is just a book.” [Seriously after that answer I did not even want to talk to that girl.] “My book. My wish.” I said. Everybody gave me the she’s so childish expression. But the plus point of the whole episode was that nobody every asked me to lend them my books J

I am very touchy about the books I read, the music I listen to and the movies I watch. Of course I’ve grown older and wiser. Now I don’t take it personally when people I really like don’t like the same books/music/movies as me. I just tell myself that they are entitled to their choices. [Okay I am lying. I try and make them try and like what I like or just never talk about it.] For example I cannot discuss about certain books and movies with a friend of mine because she doesn’t like stories with an unhappy ending. Another friend likes cheap slapstick comedy movies. And one friend listens only to hip hop. And one friend starts swimming sessions with “Hit me baby one more time” by Britney Spears. I cringe sometimes but I am trying really hard not to be judgmental.

Ever since I got my kindle I have people who come up to me and start talking and I just show them the kindle and say, “excuse me but I’m reading now I’ll talk to you later”. Of course I never talk to them but that’s the politest way I’ve learnt of telling people that I don’t want to indulge in conversation. I once forgot that I was in office while I was reading and when a client came I did not even look up but just told him not to talk to me as I was reading and didn’t realize till such time as my senior called me to his chamber and sweetly told me not to get the kindle to the office. I wanted wring that clients neck for being such a tattle tale. But I didn’t I just stopped taking my kindle to the office. Now I play online Tetris on my phone when I’m free.

The other thing I like doing now is participating in conversations about books. The only reason I wouldn’t talk was because every time I spoke of a book somebody would jump up and say, “hey lend me that”. Now I just hold up my Kindle and smile. Res ipsa loquitur.