Just Life | Library Book In The Surgery Center

Two weeks ago, I had to accompany a family member to St. Joseph hospital for surgery. 

In the room where we were waiting, nurses were busy administering IVs to patients before sending them to surgery. 

Then all of a sudden, I noticed a lady coming in with one of our library books in tow, getting ready for her surgery.

I almost jumped out of my chair. "THAT IS OUR LIBRARY BOOK, THAT IS OUR LIBRARY BOOK." I bellowed to my companion.

So, how did I know that her book belonged to our library system? That is because the book she was carrying had our signature "Yellow New Book" Sticker on the spine.

I was so happy and proud that one of our library books is giving that patient some needed distraction before her surgery.

Since we are talking about the most unusual places to take a book, here are my co-workers stories about reading in the most unusual places: 

 Astronaut James Voss reading a book in space. Pic from montclairlibrary.wordpress.com

• I used to read under the coffee table when I was younger. Coming from a family of nine, space was at a premium. But there was always space under the coffee table

• When I was a young girl and didn't want to do anything but read, my mom kept telling me that I needed to be outside more, and she would make me go outside, so I usually climbed a tree to read or sometimes hid in the corn stalks to read.

• One day, when our oldest son was about 3, he disappeared. We called and called him and looked everywhere. Finally, we found him in the bedroom closet with the door slid open just enough to get a ray of sunshine on his book. Even though he couldn't yet read, he was so engrossed in the book he never heard us calling--or chose to ignore us.

• When I was working in downtown Oakland, and wanted to be alone to finish a book, I'd take them onto the roof of the office building.

• Disneyland. I was reading "The Lovely Bones" while standing in line for rides at Disneyland. At one point in the queue for Peter Pan, a woman passed me in a different part of the line and said, "Oh, that's a great book!"

• I take a book everywhere, when we travel I can't stand to watch someone else drive so I read. I've read while camping, at the lake, at the beach, in the woods (after hiking), in other states (trips), back yard in a lounge chair while tanning, and under a tree. 

• While getting a pedicure, Jury duty, In a tree house, On a cruise boat. I've also listened to books while gardening, hiking, vacuuming, driving, biking. 

I think the most unusual place that I used to read books for distraction was during the air raids in Tehran, during Iran-Iraq war. The whole time, I was praying to God to spare our house from all the bombs and all the guided missiles flying right above our heads.

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha