Drowned In A Sea Of Books

The book cupboard needed some dusting, cleaning and some methodical arranging. So I decided to concentrate on the effort do it right away.It so happens that every time the cupboard gets a revamp,the first few days the books would  look perfectly composed and collected,making it so appealing to the eye. Then again when I take a peek after awhile I find them as if they had just returned from the war zone: worn out and tortured with a few or a couple of pages missing and out of context. While in this state, they go unnoticed and unattended for days.They remain in this unorganized and disorderly manner until this kind soul does something to restore the sparkle in them. Nevertheless the books are not at fault, it’s the folks at home, including self, who  hold responsible to some extent. 

Read, read and read, that’s what we have been encouraging the children  right through. Although they love reading, they do not show a deep sense of responsibility when it comes to taking care of them.Lately I have noticed the children scrounge books from the cupboard and when they are done reading,the books are haphazardly left all over the place.It becomes tedious and takes much of the time hunting for them. I don't forget to look for them under the bed, in between blankets or for that matter every nook and corner of the house.It is beyond belief when I find a couple of them bruised and buried under the sofa seats and covers. 

The book,my ten year old borrowed from the school library recently,is missing. It would n’t be possible to find it straight away as it has been misplaced at home.Probably this thin volume is secreted somewhere  among  the  clutter  in the boys room: drowned in  a sea of books  or obscured by the empty cartons my son refuses to part with.Another assumption, I deem fit to reflect on, according to earlier experiences could perhaps be the lost book found its' way into the laundry basket and had been forced to go all the way to the laundry room.Well masked by the dirty clothes, it could have easily  passed through this ‘security mama’s’ eye balls without a hitch whatsoever.Thanks to the missing book, I have got some additional work; rechecking the grimy clothes before hauling them into the washer.

Nonetheless,the Librarian ran out of patience sooner than expected and my son had to compensate with another old classic. It wouldn’t be surprising when out of the blues,I find the book shrouded inside one of the empty cereal boxes.

I remind the children  an umpteenth time, once they finish reading, the books should go back to where it belonged. Besides, my advice to them  constantly is  that  books should  be handled with care and treated with respect, as if they were like warm and cozy friends.It came like a bolt of lightening when my youngster said. ‘Like Friends?  No wonder! Mom leaves books on kitchen counters, drawers and on top of the microwave.’ ‘To make them feel warm and cozy?’ Ahem, ahem.. I was thunderstruck! 

Oh yes indeed! These recipe books, scraps and clippings from magazines and newspapers come to my aid in case of an emergency. For most of the time I rely on them to rescue me when ever the children throw a new culinary challenge at me.I couldn’t argue any further. They have all observed me huffing and puffing in and out of the kitchen, perhaps with a spatula,a ladle or even the rolling pin in hand, reaching out desperately for the books in the kitchen drawers and later, absent-mindedly, leaving them on top of the refrigerator, counter tops and anything that can hold a book.‘What! Inside the onion box! Who’s kidding!’

While still taken aback by my son’s witty remarks, I remembered a luscious quote from  a great philosopher,“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few others to be chewed and digested.”