STACK OF BOOKS

I was sitting on my bedroom floor with a stack of books in front of me when my son Alex peeked his head around the corner. “What are you up to?” He asked.

“Just picking out the next book I want to read.” I put the book I’d been holding next to me and picked up the next one. “So far I have three on the not-right-now-pile and two on the strong possibility group.”

Alex came over and picked up one from the not-right-now-pile. “What’s wrong with this one?” He asked as he read the back cover.

“Nothing.” I glanced up at him. “But I just finished reading a historical novel about the holocaust and I’m looking to change it up a bit.”

I tossed another one on the strong possibility pile. “I love picking out a new book.” I said as I picked up the next book and hugged it to my chest.

Alex laughed. “I can see that.”

“Feel free to read any of these when you want to.” I offered as I waved my hand over the books around me.

Alex laughed again and shook his head as he dropped the book he was looking at back on the pile. “You and I have pretty different tastes in books.”

I nodded my head. “True. You’re more of a non-fiction, tech kind of reader.” I lined up the few that were in the running for my next read. “So which one of you is going to win?” I said as I tapped my finger to my lips.

“Aren’t you eventually going to be reading them all?” Alex asked.

“Yes.” I looked up at him. “But every once in a while I get a book that I just don’t find interesting and I have to push myself to finish it.” I pick up one of the contenders and scanned the back cover again. “I’m on a streak of good reads right now and I don’t want to mess that up with a dud.”

“I don’t understand.” Alex looked confused. “If you don’t like the book, just put it down and start a new one.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

“Because once I start a book I have to finish it. Even if I have to skim pages and skip ahead.”

“Are you serious?”

My husband Steven came into the room. “Serious about what?” He asked.

“Once Mom starts a book, even if she doesn’t like it, she has to finish it.” Alex told him.

Steven looked over at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s a thing with me. I’m very serious about reading.”

“Well, when you’ve picked out your next book to read do you want to go out for lunch?”

“You’re it!” I grabbed the first book I could reach and tossed it on the bed.

Alex laughed. “That was fast.”

“Hey, I’m also very serious about not cooking.” I stacked the books back in a pile and pushed them next to my nightstand. “I’m ready!” I said as I stood up. “Where do you want to go for lunch?”