“Her new way of ignoring people and important issues is by burying her nose in a book”. The jibe was directed to me while I had actually buried my nose in a book. “I would have married a book if I could help it and would have been happier than your wife” was the repartee that shot out of my brain cells which eventually stayed there as I was keen upon keeping the peace and tranquillity around me intact.
True.
I bury myself a lot in books these days. I quit my job a few days back and
decided that I would take a week’s data break which meant no mails, no twitter,
no instagram and no mindless surfing. I wanted to read. More than what I am
used to. So what’s new in it you may ask but let me tell you something; when
you are surrounded by people who take it upon themselves to criticize every
atom of another person’s being and do not even once hesitate to harp about
things which might not affect them at all and might not happen at all to begin
with, you grow tired of their oration of the day to day mindless events.
I
am happy with my tech break. Honestly, nothing comes out of being there on the
‘net’ all the time. It only results in battery drain of your phone and increase
in data tariff. And nothing has come out of listening to mindless matters.
It
is not the same with books though. Every book has a story to tell and every
book lets you converse with it about the subject it is well versed at and if it
is not equipped with the same within its covers (hardbound or paperback) it
will stop talking to you unlike human beings who pretend to know everything and
make a fool out of themselves. For instance I would prefer reading a book than
talk to a cousin of mine who in sheer desperation of keeping up with the
conversation announced that she loved Sharon Stone and ‘his’ acting. She meant
it. Sorry Ms Stone.
Books
keep you company better than some men and most women. What would you prefer, a
best friend harp about her true life ‘saans bahu story’ or Candace Bushnell
talking about Sex and the City with a dash of Cosmopolitan? I can walk into a
coffee shop with a book for a date, sip a cuppa of cappuccino, read my heart
out and walk out feeling wonderful. Now I want a man to do that to me without turning
up late. Then I can consider keeping the book inside my bag.
As
much as I hate to say this but books are easy to dump. I have had blind dates
with books. What I mean is that I have walked into a book store, read the
summary and picked it up only to discover that it hasn’t lived up to its cover.
That is when I dump them, meaning I stop reading them or read them entirely for
the sake of having bought it and never go back again. Like a one night stand. I
reread a lot of the ones I love by the way.
I
have something to talk about and it goes beyond bollywood, Hollywood, current
affairs, clothes and accessories. I don’t intend to sound like a man but my
conversations have gone a level above the usual. Most often dad and I talk
about people, their adventures, their deeds and misdeeds and credit them for
who they are or were. It definitely is better than talking only about breast
implants on a leading lady and liposuction on another.
I
don’t lend books. Nobody gets to take them home. To me it is as sacrilegious as
sharing a loved one or a spouse. So don’t come home and ask to borrow. You will
see my blunt side if you do.
I
retreat to my quiet corner. I am at peace with a book. I drift to another world
away from the chaotic one I live in and I successfully have the ‘my time’
everyday which most people complain of. Look, for the rest of you it need not
be books. It could even be music. So spend half an hour before bed listening to
a CD or radio all by yourself and you will realise you sleep a better person.
I
wish I was married to a book. It would last more than the ones that happen with
humans. I love them more than kindles or any other book reading device with due
respect. Ten years from now if you find me dusting books in my own book store
don’t be surprised. Instead, stop by, say hello, buy a book and I might give
you a discount too. For you know I would not be selling books but companions
who go a long way with you than many.
