the Crotchety Old Lady with the Book
Work is insanely busy. This isn’t a real complaint, because I love my job, but the long hours at the office mean I don’t have time to do much else.
I’m behind on my reading for my upcoming book club meeting (Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison) but haven’t been able to muster up the energy to read, even on the bus, which is where I usually have the time to get into a book. Instead, I spend my morning and evening commute engrossed in my new favorite iPhone app, the New York Times crossword puzzle, trying to figure out a four letter word for pain in the neck (ache? no).
I was staring at an unfinished puzzle on the bus this evening, when I heard someone yell, “DON’T TOUCH IT!” I looked up to see an elderly woman struggling up the stairs of the bus, lugging a huge suitcase. As she rolled her bag down the aisle, she turned around–a bit abashed–and said to the lady behind her, “I didn’t mean to yell, but I didn’t need help with my bag.” She stopped at the seat in front of me, already occupied by a young man. “Can you move, I need to sit here.” He paused for a second before moving wordlessly to an empty seat in the next row, a mildly irritated look on his face.
I went back to my crossword puzzle (pest? yes!) but the disturbance had broken my concentration. I pulled out my book from my purse, but put it right back in. My brain was fried. I glanced around the bus, trying not to make eye contact with anyone, before looking over the shoulder of the old lady who, by this time, was reading a book that she held about an inch away from her face.
The book was tattered at the corners and yellow post-it notes stuck out from all sides. Clearly, this was an important book. As inconspicuously as I could, I leaned forward in my seat to glance at the title.
Why Men Marry Bitches.
I stifled a giggle and settled back into my seat, but not before my eye caught a valuable bit of advice: “dress a little sexy, but not too revealing.”
Looks like we have our next book club selection. I will definitely put my crossword puzzle down for this one.
Thank you for the Crotchety Old Lady with the Book.
