The Liberry

It is one of the places I sometimes forget about. I spent hours at the Southwest Library as a child. I could walk to it from my parents' home. In fact, it was my refuge every time I would run away from home. I would yell, "...and you'll never see me again!" and my mom would roll her eyes and wave me away. I would furiously pedal a good half mile before I would realize that I was really hot. And really thirsty. And doggone it, didn't I have a book report to write?

So I'd throw down my bike and trudge into the library. I was always welcomed with a blast of cool air, a free drinking fountain, and a nameless, kindly old woman who would smile at me. Mind you, I only ran away from home in the summer.

This is why I forget about it. Who wants to remember all the dumb things she ever did...repeatedly?

But now I have three children and I need a cool, welcoming, free place to go once again. So we got library cards. We will sit and the children will listen to two or three books before they become restless. Then we can walk to the Marketplace fountain or Rite Aid for ice cream. It is a lovely mother-children way to spend a few hours.

This time, in preparation for our Sacramento-Trip-That-Ended-Up-Not-To-Be-A-Sacramento-Trip, we rented Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Curious George Books on Tape. While we did not make our scheduled trip, the kids and I have been listening to the books as we drive around town. Yesterday, when we were lost in industrial Oildale for 23 minutes trying to find our raw milk pick-up spot, we listened to four Curious George books and no one was irritated. Well, Mommy was irritated. But you would be, too.

We love books. And we certainly love books on tape.