MaryEsther and Louise Read A book

“I heard some ladies talking at the supermarket, Louise.”

“Some new packaged food? I hate those things. If God wanted food cooked fast, He wouldn’t have made raw meat.”


“No, they were talking about a book club.”


“I’m not signing up for any book clubs. You know how they work...you get a book every month whether you want it or not because you lose that little card that says, “don’t-send-me-a-book-this-month.”  I know all about those book clubs.”


“No, you’re not listening. It’s a real club with real people.”


“Well, of course, they’re real people. Who else would they send a book to...a horse?”


“Louise, it’s a group of people who like books. They meet every week to talk about them.”


“Talk about them? Well, that’s new. In my day, people read books."


MaryEsther sighed. Sometimes it was so hard to be understood.


“Louise, you are exactly right. These people read the book first and then they talk about it.”


“Why? If they all read it in the first place they should know what happened. Is it to help one of them who doesn’t know how  to read? They should hire a tutor or go buy the video.”


“No, Louise, it’s like when we talk about recipes or politics or our grandchildren. They talk about what they like or don’t like about the book.”


“What book?”


“Lots of books. All different ones.”


“That’s crazy. Do those people just sit around reading all day? How can anyone read so many books? Some of us have doctor’s appointments. Some of us need naps.”


“They all read the same book, Louise. It’s just one book.”


“Oh, that would take forever. I can see it, now. First you read the book. Then you send it to Charlie Fletcher. Then he sends it to me. Then I send it to someone else.”


“No, Louise, everyone buys his own book.”


“What? Who’s selling all those books? Maybe we should sell the books. We could make some money.”


MaryEsther took a deep breath. “They read the book and then they talk about it. They see what each of them liked about it. That’s all there is to it.”


“And what if some of them don’t like it? There are always two sides to a story, I say.”


MaryEsther sighed and closed her eyes. It was time for a nap.