A Reading Place

Lory and I were recording an episode that brought back memories of a reading place when I was young. At my one grandparent’s houses, there were stairs that led to the second floor with a door at the bottom of the stairs. Typically the door was closed. Sometimes I would read sitting across one of the steps behind the closed door. I was literally feet from people walking around, but it still felt kind of isolated.

Often I read at the top of the stairs next to a bookshelf that divided the stairs from the hall to a couple of bedrooms. The bookshelf was a mix of a lot of things. My grandfather had books he used when he built the house. There were my mother’s Nancy Drew books (the originals I think). I remember a Tarzan book, a book about The Phantom,  and a book about college football called One Minute to Play. There were books about sports and paperbacks that fell somewhat short of Pulitzer competition.

I would lie next to the shelves reading. There was a heated water radiator in the hall. When it was cold sometimes I would sit with my back against the radiator. When it was hot, there was often a fan blowing.

I would get lost in reading there. Things were still going on in the house but without me. Sometimes I would hear someone say “Have you seen Teddy?” Yes, I was Teddy. Still am to most of my family. Hearing them wondering where I was didn’t impact my reading. Let them find me if they want.

Looking back, I guess it was a little anti-social, but I think back fondly on that reading time.

Do you have a reading spot you remember? Let us know at twosides2thestory@yahoo.com.