Dirty Little Secret

I am the Manicured Librarian, and I abuse my books.

I dog ear the page corners, and break their little spines if I have to get them to behave! Sometimes I'll highlight sentences, even paragraphs. I'll even underline!

Of course, I would never do this to LIBRARY books or those lent to me. Those are SACRED, and returned with pages and backbones intact!

Which is why it's better if I buy my own books when I know I'll want to read them over and over, or refer to them again. I could take them to the beach and bring them home full of sand. Or cry over the sad parts, my tears dampening them, even blurring the ink.

So, I'm truly upset that the DH has lent my book - MY BOOK - Ben: A Memoir, from Street Kid to Governor, former Hawaii governor Cayetano's autobiography - to someone who misplaced it. Then someone else found it and has been taking over a YEAR to read it. The former guv was not popular but he was principled, and pulled no punches, naming names. I need the book so I can remember the histories of the people in Hawaii who ran for office and also to have a good laugh at what some of them are up to today.

And I will see the occasional obituary of someone like Hideto Kono, a longtime public servant and leader. He's in the book, and I met him on campus when I was in grad school. He asked where a building was, and I told him I was going that way. I looked at him, and said, "I recall you were in government." or something like the local equivalent: "You SOMEBODY!?" He shook his head, no. Then I told him to go right, as I continued on.

I need the book to remember the good words written about a good, humble man.

I need my own books so I can mark them in ways to show I have read them - though I don't remember all the words - and refer to them, like the old friends they become. Old, abused friends!

(Edited 1/31/2011 for typos!)