Friday, July 27, 2007

The Kindness of Literary People

I've been wanting to post about this for days but I keep forgetting to! But I'm remembering now. The reason that Megan ended up in Texas after Katrina is because she has a sister who lives over there. I've been friends with her sister since before I even knew Megan...we worked at a coffee shop together. So whenever I go up to see Megan, I try to meet up with her as well, but it doesn't always work out. She has a family now and with as little time as me and Megan get together time seems to just disappear. Well I was happy that I got to spend a little bit more time this trip with her than I usually do! We went to eat at a really great little restaurant in downtown Bryan and visited a couple of other times. And lo and behold, on one of those visits, she bestowed upon me a giant box of books!! I still haven't had the chance to root through them all, but that made me so happy :) She's a doctoral student and teaches literature classes at a major university and has the coolest syllabus for the fall semester! I wish I could take her class. Check it out on this post of her blog.

The second thing that I wanted to post about came up in the Harry Potter comments. Megan had to work Saturday night after I got my Harry Potter book. So I decided that I would go down to her restaurant and order one of their delicious desserts and a Bailey's coffee while reading my Harry Potter book and her roommate joined me as she was reading the book too. Well there were two guys from out of town sitting next to us who noticed that we were reading the new Harry Potter book and they told us that they had bought the book in the airport and that one of their wives had went to a midnight party. We talked a little about the books and they talked about how wonderful of a server Megan was which made me proud :) Well on their way out, they gave Megan money and told her that our desserts and coffee were on them! I never got to thank them as they disappeared. So if fate allows it, thank you! One of the things I'll miss about Harry Potter most of all is the unity that it brought out in people and the conversations that it sparked. Maybe it will be a lesson to reach out and talk about things...I know it has been for me.

As for now, I'm having a rough time adjusting to life apart from Megan again. I always do after these trips. It becomes more familiar after a couple of weeks but it never feels right. The bed just feels too big at night and my head seems too full of thoughts...But the thoughts usually lead me to a good place...a place that lies in the not too distant future...the place where my heart lies. God, I'm sounding sappy tonight....

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow! that is very cool. the gift of books and that guy paying for you guys.

it does seem that harry potter readers are a very nice community all to themselves. its similar to the gaiman fans and the pratchett fans - its wonderful that we can have that kind of connection with people.

i can imagine it must be hard being away from megan after having spent such a close time with her again...

DesLily said...

sure hope you and megan can find a way to live closer soon!

oh..and "sappy" is a good thing!

CJ said...

Not sappy, sweet, which is how it should be when it comes to where your heart lives.

cjh

chrisa511 said...

JP, It was very cool! Anything bookish puts a smile on my face :)

The Harry Potter community is very similar to the Gaiman and Pratchett community. Though I'm just discovering this Pratchett community, particularly through your blog! I agree...it's amazing that a connection can be formed like that just through books.

It's rough being apart, but it'll be better after a few days...it always is.

Deslily, We will, plans are in the works and we'll get them figured out sooner or later! Sappy can be a good thing I guess, I just tend to get overly sappy at times, lol.

Literacy-chic said...

Awww... Thanks for saying nice things about me! :) I'm so glad we got to visit a bit, too! And I hope you enjoy the books!

chrisa511 said...

Of course I'll enjoy the books :) I had a great time too...I just wish that it would've been longer...it's never long enough :( I just need to come spend a month one of these days!

Ana S. said...

I love that sense of community, and I agree with Jean Pierre: it's definitely found among Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett fans as well.

The getting used to being alone again bit always sucks... hang on in there. And you aren't being sappy, worry not. You're just sharing how you feel.

Robin said...

What a great post! The reading list is awesome, the Harry Potter encounter was so nice, and you can be as sappy as you want 'cause we all understand and are hoping that you and Megan can be together again SOON!

Anonymous said...

I always feel a bit of an urge to go talk to people if they're reading a book I'm familiar with. I should indulge in it more often!

Here's sappy for you - Even though being apart is hard, you can think of every day apart as one day closer to your next opportunity to see Megan.

chrisa511 said...

Thanks Robin :) Isn't her reading list great! Me and Megan will be together soon, I'm sure of it...thanks for pulling for us ;)

Kim, awwww...now that's sappy...just kidding. Very optimistic way of looking at thing...I have to learn to do that more often.

Marina said...

Sappy, yeah... but cute. Hope everything works out for y'all as soon as it can.

chrisa511 said...

Thanks Marina :)

Carl V. Anderson said...

Nothing wrong with being sappy! I remember when Mary and I were dating and the summer between semesters we each went to our own homes...me to Nebraska and her to Missouri. It was agonizing in the extreme and I'm sure it is even more so for you considering the tragedy that resulted in your having to part in the first place. As always I am hoping/praying for a quick resolution to those issues so that you can both be in the same city again!

chrisa511 said...

Thanks Carl..I think we're both starting to fall back into that pattern of "getting used to it" again. It takes a couple of weeks after spending some time together, but we make adjustments.