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Health & Fitness

Library Peeping Is Just the Subtext

Tiffany's introductory blog to The Patch exploring one of her fascinations, the art of "library peeping."

Like many writers I have been diligently doing research for a novel I am writing, part of which takes place in Spain. “Diligently” might be just a slight exaggeration of the truth because believe it or not you can get distracted at the library.

Sometimes I take pleasure in seeing what other people are reading.  It’s a real art you know, library peeping. It’s so quiet inside libraries that a person’s senses might be heightened, increasing the likelihood of one getting caught snooping at another’s choice of literary entertainment.  I must admit, I have read some weird stuff in the library. It’s fascinating to read through a book and imagine the last time anyone else could have possibly paid it some attention.  I have skimmed through books so odd that I didn’t even want to check it out for fear of judgment by the librarian. I once read a book about female elephants and reproduction.  I did this while I was pregnant.  I enjoyed the irony. I also secretly hoped someone would library peep me and be tickled by the drama of my choice, one large creature looking to another large creature for reassurance.  If this elephant Fanny could give birth to 232 pound baby elephant what was a 10 pound baby to me?

I remember being in middle school and working on a project with my Mom at the library.  I ventured off from my research project to look up vegetarianism. At the time I was a self proclaimed vegetarian and I was the only one in my family, even my extended family. My mother questioned me constantly about my choice. I stopped eating meat because I felt bad for the animals and I was guilt ridden every time I enjoyed a hamburger or chicken enchilada. I wanted to find a book supporting the concept that vegetarianism was actually a healthy choice and good for the waist line. This would satiate my Mom I thought. Before, I could get back over to her and present my case, I felt a heavy stare coming from behind me.  It was Mother.

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  “What are you reading there T?”

  “It’s a book about the benefits of being a vegetarian”, I responded.  She smirked at me.  “Really mom, it’s good for you.   Plus don’t you feel bad for these poor cows in this picture?” I held the book up to her.

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  “No.  They don’t even know what’s going on and they kill them really fast.”

  “Well, why don’t you eat cats then Mom?  They are animals too.”  She laughed a little and smiled.

  “Cats are different than cows Tiffany, they don’t snuggle or give love like cats do,” my Mom said. 

  “Mom I have seen cows snuggle!” I exclaimed catching how my voice pitched into the teenage valley girl twang.

  “No they don’t, they just herd together.”

  “Mom what if aliens look down on us and they think that when we are loving each other that we are really just “herding”?  And then they want to eat us.  Wouldn’t that be wrong?”

  “Well, Tiffany some people should be eaten,” her voiced raised loud enough for a woman who was sitting beside us to glance up and give my Mom a mean look.  “See? Like that lady”, my Mom gave her a look back, “she should definitely be eaten.”  I was appalled by my mother’s response but also began to giggle. To her she was just bestowing some absurd wisdom to my absurd point.

  Between research and day dreaming about my Mom’s people eating, I had an idea come to me about my novel. It may have even been a breakthrough. Just then, I caught a young man at his laptop library peeping on me and I smiled at him.  He smiled back and his eyes slowly moved back to his computer. If I were him, peeping on me reading a Spanish cook book I would summarize the following about myself;  she looks fun, must be trying to make a nice dinner for her boyfriend or potential suitor, her mother probably wasn’t much of a cook, she has paint on her pants so she must teach an art class.  My guess about myself would have been really off except for the fun part.  That’s the thing about this place for me, I come here to learn but I end up with more questions, intrigue, and guesses to my unanswered questions. For me, it's not just about what I am reading but more about life.  I think it's best in my next visit to the library that I explore the “Self Help” section; just imagine what I’ll get out of that aisle.

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