The Bookstore (Short Story)

The Bookstore

 

The bookshelves were cut low and only sized to my elbow’s height, which slightly annoyed me when I searched for a couple books to buy because I noticed a strange young man, roughly my age watching me from just a few book shelves over. I noticed he was with another man, who was bent down searching eagerly for books, he was slightly better dressed  than the young man, who I noticed was holding books for the better dressed man. That must mean that he was a servant of some sort. I shrugged to myself, but then I noticed the servant boy bring a fountain pen out of his pocket and he quickly scribbled something on a white piece of paper.

Feeling color rise to my face from young man’s unsettling stare.  I hastily fixed some flyaway hair and began looking through the shelves again, but in my haste, I managed to bang my elbow quite harshly against the metal shelf. I glanced quickly at the boy again, this time he held a hand up to his mouth as if to stifle a laugh.

I rubbed my sore elbow and shook my head as I tried to hide a smile and went through the last couple books on the shelf.

I didn’t get as many books as I was planning on finding, but I didn’t want to keep searching, and risk getting closer to the isle where the servant boy was standing.

I cast down my gaze as I walked and shuffled through the books I had picked out at the same time. I started towards the pay booth when I bumped into something, I was blinded for a few seconds. Whatever I had bumped into was hard, but soft at the same time and oh! Mmmm. Whatever it was, it smelled good too. I backed away, it was the servant boy! Oh! My books! I had let go of them in my shock and I helplessly watched  as they fell onto the ground.

“Oh!” The servant boy seemed embarrassed. “I’m sorry, miss, here let me help you with that,” He gestured towards my books on the floor and I nodded and bent down with him to retrieve my fallen books. We bent down in unison, and our heads knocked into each other.

“Ouch!” I yelped. I looked over at him and he was rubbing his head. Color flushed to my face again.

Could this get any worse? This cute guy bumps into me, offers to pick up my books and I accidentally head butt him in return.

When he opened his eyes a few seconds later he looked at me and started to laugh. I started to laugh too. This was all so ridiculous!

“What’s your name?” the servant boy asked as he crossed his legs, while picking up the last two books of mine and handing them over.

“Qwen, and your name?” I asked as I reached out for my books.

“Samuel.” He answered simply.  He extended his hand, “would you like some help up then, Miss Qwen, or would you prefer to stay down here all day?”

I laughed as I accepted his hand and curtsied in return.  “Why, thank you, kind sir.”  We both laughed at our formality and were interrupted by Samuel’s master. “Samuel! You stop lollygagging and come back this instant! I don’t like holding my own books. Such a chore! Snip snap, young man!” The book shop keeper snapped his head up from his work and shushed the man for such a loud interruptance in his usually peaceful and quiet bookstore.

I stifled a giggle. And resisted the urge to ask how Samuel’s master reads books if he doesn’t like holding them. I got a strange picture in my head of Samuel holding the book out in front of his master as he read and turning the pages to his master’s pleasure.

Samuel looked at me and shrugged. “Duty calls,” He leaned over and took my hand and kissed it. “Until we meet again, miss Qwen.” As he walked away I looked down at my hand.  He had left the small piece of white paper I had seen him writing on earlier, was what he placed in my hand. And written on it was an address.

I smiled and walked up to the paying booth and purchased my books, the worker put them in a large paper bag for easier transport. I walked out the store into the street, hearing the faint sound of the little golden bell attached to the door give a light ring. It was raining, but I didn’t notice.

 

The Faces

 

Qwen

 

 

 

Samuel

 

 

Pictures that make you feel ALIVE

 

The search for my interests in  a career is still underway. A marine biologist? A member on a marine animal rescue team? A spokesperson for Ocean Conservancy? Hmm. I don't know. I'm still searching....but I have realized that  my love for books has only gotten stronger as I grow older. While I can't tell where a comma should be apart from a spot where the semicolon belongs, like an editor, and I don't prefer to teach students in a classroom, like an English teacher...the library has always called my name. So therefore, how about a librarian?

A job, surrounded by books?

How would that even feel like a job?

 

 

"But then, every librarian needs to be a little bit of a dragon- or else, Who would guard the books?"

 

 

Last Thursday after Biology class, I was changing for volleyball, and we were out of class late, so the other girls that take biology that are in volleyball, and I were stressed to hurry. In my rush, I realized that I had lost one of my lovely rose studs my sister had given me for my 16th birthday. In slight distress, I went back to the bathroom and searched the stall I had changed in. Nothing. I found that a small relief. I still had the other stud in my ear, and placed it safely in my backpack until volleyball was over. If the stud wasn't in the bathroom, it had to be tangled in my change of clothes in my bag.

Once I got in the van, I fumbled around in my bag, and there it was! I was so grateful to find it.

I knew the stud backings seemed loose at first, but I never bothered to change them for a more sturdy pair of backings, until Thursday, when I got home I changed the backings to a more tight-fitting pair.

I typically take out my earrings before I change, but since we were stressed to hurry, I got frantic and forgot.

 

Have I ever mentioned that I am no good under pressure?

 

It would make no sense to talk about Summer while there is snow right outside my bedroom window...but I'm going to do it anyway.

 

I haven't the slightest clue why, but I have been longing to feel to ocean breeze and watch the ocean rise and fall in it's strangely calming way.

If I thought it wise, I would live near the ocean. Closer than I do now. I would live so close, that I could bike there and back again. Only two things hold me back, the crowds and the danger of hurricanes.

But I love the uncanny calmness of ocean living, right down to the oceanic room decorations and the sand trailing into your beach house.

*sigh* If I could, I would live there.

 

 

Recently, my parents went to Costco and saw kayaks for sale for $300.

I have been painfully, slowly, saving up to buy  one.

I only think I'll have enough to buy one when I graduate and have my graduation party.

Britney bought herself an ipad mini with her graduation money.

I on the other hand, am quite on the downscale of technology. Mostly because I can't stand it. And I would much rather be out kayaking on $300 bucks than lugging around a $300 piece of technology with me at college.

 

 

Wanderings by the forgotten tracks where once a train burdened with carts of coal would travel.

 

 

The other evening we were heading out to eat at 'The Golden Corral' when the phone rang, and dad talked to my grandma for quite some time. So we (Mom, Britney, and I) went out to warm up the van. It's been chilly, so it's always a good idea to warm up the van.

Mom started to joke about how it would be funny if we drove behind the bushes to make it look like we had left and make dad freak out a little.

So I joked that I could back out of the driveway and do it and she told me to go right ahead!

I have driven before, but only in empty parking lots.

And well, I am 16 now....I have to start practicing somehow!

So, yes! I got to back out of our driveway and drive up to the court and back.

Ahh! And I didn't hit anything!

 

 

 

 

"I like fishing. It's like yoga; except, you get to kill something!"

 

Sadly, according to a state law here, I can't fish without a $20 fishing license now that I'm 16.

People will do anything to squeeze money out of you.

And the sad thing is that I only like the feeling of reeling in and out a weight attached to my fishing line. I don't even bother attaching a hook most of the time.

I just like the feeling of fishing, it's relaxing.

 

 

I love daisies, and buttercups.

I love the smell of roses. But I feel like roses are too mainstream.

If and when I get a guy, I truly don't want him to buy me any flowers.

I feel like handpicked flowers hold much more meaning.

 

Spring is just around the corner, and I am so excited!

The closer I get to summer, the closer I am to being done with sophomore year!

School has been boring this year, but I have plans for the summer!

 

 

* Learn how to drive.

* Read 'The Lord of the Rings'

Among a couple other things!

 

Let's go bring back Summer!

 

And I can't wait to figure out what plans God has in store for a career for me. I've had so many interests in my life so far, but lately I've been stuck in a rut with what to major in at college.

 

^" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

 

Stephanie

Snow, Guppies, and Fire!

I sort of blanked out for a blog title....can you tell?

We have gotten so much snow in these past two weeks! Last Wednesday I was completely stressing out while studying for my biology midterm happening the next day. I had heard about the huge snow storm coming our way, threatening to cancel Thursday Classes, but I didn't want to shrug off studying just because it was supposed to snow.
But around 6pm Wednesday night my Thursday Class friends were posting on Facebook about the school system that Thursday Classes follows were closed!
I wasn't completely convinced until I checked the Thursday Class website that confirmed that Thursday Classes would be cancelled. Yay!! I mean, my midterm is still happening, rescheduled to this Thursday. But I had an extra week to study! And I've really been needing a week off...so that was nice.

Just look at all that snow!

 

See our cute little snowman? I should've shaped him to look like Olaf!

 

I've been feeling a little older lately. Besides the fact that I just turned sixteen....I've been doing things I've never done before. Such as, I've been starting to help take care of the fire.

 

Look at that gorgeous flame! I did that!

 

It's crazy, my older sister still has never put wood in the stove before.

I was a little scared when I did it the first time. I had a metal stick (some woodstove tool dad keeps next to the fire) and I had my dad's wood stove gloves on. And I only put in two pieces. But I've gotten better at it since then.

 

Ooo! I had a funny question the other day. If waterproof gloves caught on fire, how would you put the fire out? (Ha.ha.ha....'cause they're waterproof? Ha.ha. Okay..I'm done.)

 

We got Percy's ( my decease betta fish) tank going back up for my birthday.

These little guys are guppies! I got three and named them: Coral, Fiji, and Reef.

(Yeah....I still name my fish...haha)

I've never had guppies before, so it's been a ton of fun to watch them swim around.

 

 

I'm still reading 'The Royal Ranger' by John Flanagan. I'm on chapter 25! Yay!

I love this crisp, cold weather. But I'm kind of looking forward to school getting out so I can read more.

 

My mom gave me her old spoon ring that Nana had given her when she was little.

It was all tarnished when mom gave it to me, so I cleaned it up with toothpaste and it's all shiny now!

 

 

 

Welp, I better go. Studying to do! Fire to keep up! Fish to feed!

 

Stephanie

It's already February!

 

It rained last night...in freezing temperatures.....so when I woke up, everything was covered in a thick layer of ice!

Our nice old pine trees right outside our back porch grew so heavy from the weight of the ice that branches decided to give up and fall to the ground with such a deafening sound, you would think it was thundering outside.

When I took a walk in the icy wonderland this morning I saw a huge branch fall from a tree right above our red storage barn, it fell in what seemed like slow motion!

 

Our wood pile looked so mystical with the icicles dangling off.

 

 

And our Christmas lights weren't spared from the rainfall, just look how thickly the light is incased in ice!

 

 

Other than that, only 9 more weeks of Thursday Classes. Can you believe that? That means in only 2 months, half of my school work load will lighten up!

 

At this point it's sort of hard to imagine what free time is like anymore. There's something I haven't done in a while that I miss very much....wow what was it called?

Oh, DRAWING!

 

I can't wait to draw more. For my junior year at Thursday Classes (starting in the fall) I'll be taking Advanced Creative Drawing, or at least I hope I'll get in the class anyway. It's always fun on the last day of classes to see the student's art work they've been working on through out the school year.

 

Also, my dad made me a new bookshelf. The one above my closet is burdened with over 50 books and it's starting to bow in the middle.

 

See, it's so cute! (It's like a little baby unicorn!) (excuse me for the Frozen reference...haha)

 

There's only 5 books on there so far. And two are library books. The other three are The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King (yay! A VERY nice set I found at a flea market) I also have some of my favorite movies, such as Tangled and The Hobbit. And of course, I have bookends I found at a thrift shop...but they'll eventually have to go somewhere else. I mean...who has room for bookends?

 

-Stephanie

 

 

P.S. I also tried to take a selfie with Mandie today. But it didn't turn out that well....haha

 

 

I've also been reading 'The Royal Ranger' by John Flanagan (FINALLY) I've had it since before Christmas and I'm only now getting to it.

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed reading John's books!

 

 

 

What have I been doing lately?

I have recently re-discovered......

 

 

 

WAFFLES.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and my OLD Wishbone books!

I practically have all of them. I'm only missing about 10 from my collection!

 

 

I've been working on my Crochet afghan, only 6 more skeins to go and it's done!

 

 

 

 

I found a very old picture of me and did some editing to add my "present" face next to it.

(Yay for awkward selfies!)

 

 

But goodness, I haven't changed much at all!

 

AND lastly, I've been wanting to read this book.

I wonder if I'll finish it or not....

 

 

 

Also, we just got a HUGE snow storm this week!

It's beautiful.

And the temperatures haven't passed 32 degrees for over a week now!

It's chilly here, but we have our wonderful woodstove keeping the house warm and cozy.

 

-Stephanie

 

 

 

 

I made supper!!

Tuesday:

We had our first Mops of 2014 today! We got a handful of new kids in our group. So it was a little more chaotic than usual, but the kids are great.

 

So it's Tuesday, right? And tomorrow is Wednesday.

I still have a bunch of homework to finish for CBA on Thursday and I can't work on it on Wednesday because I have to study for my quiz then.

So, I get home, Britney makes us cauliflower pizza sticks that we dip in pizza sauce.

The texture was...interesting to say the least.

Then, mom and I work side by side the rest of the day struggling to get my homework done.

It was around 6pm when I had finally finished.

Mom and Britney left to clean the church office and I stayed home to fix supper.

They weren't really expecting anything special...

but I got a maxi skirt on and a nice white shirt and lit beeswax candles and cut salad, a cucumber, poured water in our fancy glasses and set Lord of the Rings music on my computer for us to enjoy while we ate by candlelight.

 

 

(We joined a fast at our church happening for 10 days, it's amazing how healthy we've been eating!)

 

Mom and Britney were very pleased with their salad and how everything got so fancy.

Though at one point I said, "I think I may have cut too much salad."

And both mom and Britney said in unison that what I gave them was a perfect amount.

I shrugged and figured that if they could finish it, so could I.

Now....this wasn't a very good idea.

Because after I had downed by whole salad I casually asked them,

"So...what do you do when you feel a wave a nausea?"

Yes....it was just....awful.

I prepared such an elegant supper for them, just so I could loose it afterwards.

That ruins my 5 year strike of not throwing up.

*sigh*

 

I took another painting class!

I was really happy the way the wave turned out!

 

 

I've been sketching more lately.

And I've really been wanting to add more color to my art.

I usually just do line art, but color in itself is quite an art, there's so many different ways to do it.

 

I've been wanting to learn how to do pottery lately.

There's a place near us that offers beginner pottery lessons.

Hoping to maybe take some this summer....along with *shutter* drivers ed.

 

-Stephanie

 

 

 

The Sound of Music Live (and why I loved it)

My family and I hardly ever turn on the TV to watch regular television, but during the Thanksgiving Day Parade (which we watch every year) I saw commercials for The Sound of Music Live and decided that I would like to watch it.

 

I forget where we went that evening, but it was getting very close to 8pm on the ride home and I was worried we were going to miss the show. Thankfully, when I turned the TV on, Maria was only half way through singing "The Hills Are Alive"

 

I sat back, completely thrilled with it all, and turned up the volume.

 

Somewhere in the world, Carrie Underwood was singing it, live. And it was on my TV.

It was kind of crazy to wrap my head around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next two pictures are so fun to look at.

It's the actors, in simple clothes, practicing for the big day, and the second photo is them in character that aired live.

 

 

After the Sound of Music  Live was over I got on facebook and all my friends were making very negative statuses about The Sound of Music Live.

 

I noticed that everyone was comparing it very harshly to the original Sound of Music with Julie Andrews.

 

I think my friends weren't able to see what the Sound of Music Live was truly all about.

It was never intended to be greater than the original Sound of Music, it was nearly a play, that was put on live on the television and brought the theater live right into your home. 

 

The sets were exquisite, the outfits were charming, and I loved how it made me feel like I was sitting in the theater, watching this all take place on stage.

 

I think if people had that perspective on it, maybe they would have liked it better.

I don't know, but I thought it was wonderful, and I enjoyed every second of it.

 

I'm absolutely in love with the play, and I'm sure I'll be purchasing the dvd when it comes out.

 

Stephanie