There Are Times When...

A short conversation about books led to a discussion about the way they smell: paperbacks vs. hardcovers, new books, books from antique stores....

"Oh, look! We just got these brand new books in English and they smell great."

I pull a crackling-new copy of Wuthering Heights from my bag and open it to an arbitrary spot in the middle. Holding it up to the face of the boy next to me I say, "Here, smell this."

He sticks his nose into the spine of the pages and inhales.

"Ooh."

"Isn't that wonderful?"

He nods.

Then this boy does a lovely thing. He holds the book less than an inch from his nose, the binding in his left hand and all the pages held in his right, and fans them past his thumb, inhaling slowly, eyes closed.













I think he owns my soul.