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Show Someone is giggling behind A-L, fiction section. A high-pitched giggle, then a low one, like a hum. Rubber squeeks on the tiled floor. A hissed, "stop it," and more giggling. It breaks into laughter, and then dies quickly as a girl's voice says, "Sssshhh! Mom will hear-" Girl and boy both study the library shelves studiously for half a minute. Then he moves closer, pretending to read titles. Closer and closer, until.the proximity makes her giggle, although he hasn't tickeled yet. ?v"arty rounds the stack, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Stands there thinking how suddenly she is too old to make noise in a library. Three weeks ago, before graduation, was she too old? She probably did it anyway, then. If that was only three weeks ago, how long ago was it that she and Jake came to the library, like these two, to pick out books to read » before bed during the summer. Sometimes, memories seem so close. More recent than college, or than graduation. These two are angels now. They have noticed her. Shoulder to shoulder, they hold a book open between them. See how grownup they can be? The boy is watching her. An adult, a chaparone, or just a kid? Does she matter? Marty turns to the shelves. She, too, can play at being grown-up. She squints at the worn, handled bindings of books, wrapped in what looks like wax paper, titles nearly obliterated by layers of scotch tape. She touches one. The crackling of that outer layer, preserving the stories. Behind |
