Ghostly Books (a 50-word story for @jayna)
Greetings, 50-worders and readers. This is my entry to @jayna's #fiftywords challenge. This week’s prompt is
https://steemit.com/challenge/@jayna/fifty-wordshortstorychallengewritingworkshop-23qnkslpv6
book
. You can see the details of the challenge here:Ghostly Books
20 years ago she begged him to let her use his library. She promised to keep everything neat. She just wanted to read; he had everything a free spirit can desire.
He refused.
“I’ll return soon. Or else, they’ll be sent over.”
Neither happened.
The rats and time undid them.
When I think of books I also think of time. The marvelous or fatidic combination these two may be. Book lovers desire books, but more than that, we long for time to read as many as we can. We know it’s futile, but we’d rather die trying.
Three tragedies have marked my life as a reader. One is narrated in this vignette. My mentor left the country when I had just gotten my Bachelor’s degree. I had visited her apartment because we actually used it as a classroom during the semester I took one of her courses. The university was on strike, lots of protests and we wanted to finish with that class regardless. It was the best class in my life. The comfort of an apartment conceived as a home library was beyond my wildest dreams. That professor never allowed any of her books to leave her apartment. She loved them too much. She would copy one for you if you wanted it. I wanted them all, but obviously requested only a couple. The rest is in the story.
The second tragedy happened when I came back to Venezuela from my grad studies. My university did not even bother to respond to my request for financial support for the S&H of 17 boxes of books. I had already send about 20. They were not just my books; they were the books my future students would use for the next 15 or more years. I never knew what happened to that library left behind in a basement in Bloomington, Illinois.
The third tragedy is about to happen with my own books. As I face the inevitability of leaving the country, in which case I’ll be able to carry only the most important items I can fit in a suitcase or two, I risk repeating the story, only this time there will not be a beautiful apartment sheltering them, waiting for a caregiver and avid reader to safeguard them. It will be just piles of boxes, a load very few people I know would be willing or able to hold.
Saludos a los participantes del reto de 50 palabras y a los lectores en general. Esta es mi participación en el reto de @jayna #fiftywords. La palabra de esta semana es
https://steemit.com/challenge/@jayna/fifty-wordshortstorychallengewritingworkshop-23qnkslpv6
libro
. Pueden ver los detalles del reto aquí:Libros fantasmales
Hace 20 años le rogó que le dejara usar la biblioteca. Le prometió mantener todo impecable. Ella solo quería leer; él tenía todo lo que un espíritu libre podía desear.
Él se negó.
“Regresaré pronto. O mandaré por ellos.”
No sucedió.
La ratas y el tiempo los deshicieron.
Cuando pienso en libros también pienso en el tiempo. La combinación maravillosa o fatídica que estos dos pueden hacer. Los amantes de los libros deseamos libros, pero más que eso, anhelamos tiempo para leer tantos como podamos. Sabemos que es inútil, pero preferimos morir tratando.
Tres tragedias han marcado mi vida como lector. Una está narrada en esta viñeta. Mi mentora se fue del país cuando yo me gradué (despues de haberme sembrado la semillita de la lectura). Conocí su apartamento porque lo usamos como salón de clases durante el semestre que cursé una de sus asignaturas. La Universidad estaba de paro, muchas protestas y queríamos terminar nuestra clase a pesar de esos inconvenientes. Fue la mejor clase de mi vida. La comodidad de un apartamento concebido como una biblioteca hogar superaba mis fantasías más alocadas. Esa profesora nunca permitía que sus libros salieran dl apartamento. Los amaba demasiado. Prefería copiar alguno de nuestra preferencia. Yo los quería todos, pero obviamente solicité solo un par. El resto está en la histori.
La segunda tragedia sucedió cuando regresé a venezuela de mis estudios de postgrado. Mi universidad ni se molestó en responder a mi solicitud de ayuda económica para el envío de 17 cajas de libros que faltaban por enviar. Yo ya había enviado unas 20. No eran solo mis libros, eran los libros que mis estudiantes usarían en los próximos 15 o más años. Nunca más supe de esa biblioteca que se quedó en un sótano de Bloomington, Illinois.
La tercera tragedia está apunto de suceder con mis propios libros. Mientras enfrento la inminencia de mi ida del país, en cuyo caso solo podré cargar con los artículos más importantes que pueda meter en una maleta o dos, me arriesgo a ver la historia repetirse, solo que esta vez no habrá un hermoso apartamento albergándolos en espera de un cuidador. Serán muchas cajas apiladas, una carga que muy pocos estarían en condiciones de llevar.
![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmU4dnA5VZvpxC9mCZCXwHB8zho31RMRSDW1ZiFCPfLQri/Blanco-y-Azul.png)
Thanks for your reading. Looking forward to your comments.
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This post was submitted for curation by: @theironfelix
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This is certainly interesting, both story and history. The history obviously repaints the entire story, but towards its benefit as now the connection between author and story is exacted. With that, I can see and understand better how time did the library bad big time. With such, upvot'd and resteem'd.
Thanks for your reading and thoughtful comment, @theironfelix
For me, a story is powerful when you can read behind the lines—I mean behind instead of between—. Behind this 50-word tale is the story of a wasted opportunity; sometimes you can be happy with the hypothesis it’s about a broken promise, like in this case, but you can consider it is a failure in our spirit: we fail to give a chance to chance, and too late we find out Fortune is a deceitful lady.
Thanks for sharing, dear @hlezama. Loved it, sad as it is.
Such an interesting story. You should write your own book and highlight some of the backstory that you have shared. Thanks for sharing @hlezama.
Thanks, @pyemoney. Maybe I will.
Thank you for sharing this story, @hlezama, and the real life situation behind it. I can't believe all the things you have been through, and the ongoing tragedies in your country. I hear about it on the news almost every single day, and from my Venezuelan friend here. Such sadness.
Your story and accompanying pictures are amazing. Together they illustrate your message so well. It took my breath away to read this. Throughout history, books have been at the center of so many human tragedies, as books have been banned and burned for political reasons, and abandoned by refugees fleeing their homeland. The concept of a book is so incredible when you think about it -- encapsulated knowledge and ideas; learning and intellectual growth. Their potential cannot be overstated.
I'm very sad for you that you have to leave your country, and deeply saddened that you have to leave your books behind. I send my deepest wishes for your health and safety.
Thank you very much, @jayna. I will always be grateful to you and you 50-word challenge for having provided this window/venue for me to express all these things/ideas/feelings.
I appreciate all the time you devote to building community in Steemit. Your example has been inspirational. Hopefully, one day, soon, things will change for the better and I will be able to tell more cheerful stories.
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