The Reading List(95)
He looked around the library – in a way, those first steps that had brought him here had been a chance for Mukesh to ask for help, a chance for him to reach out to a community. While he had left the house in twelve years, he’d not read a book in many. And he’d never set foot in the library, not until this summer. He thought of the leaflets, the slogan imprinted on his mind: Save Our Libraries. Naina had always been talking about it, saying how devastating it was for a library to vanish. He thought of all those things he’d taken to heart, whether it was wisdom from the characters in the books he was reading, or the familiar faces who smiled as he walked in, or Aleisha advising him, guiding him, or that feeling of being able to talk to Priya, see her grow into a reader … This library had come to mean something to him. It had begun to feel like home. And a place is only what it is because of the people who make it. That’s what Naina always used to say about the mandir. And Aleisha had always said the library had meant something to Aidan too …
An idea hit him, a bolt from the blue, or perhaps from wise old Atticus Finch. He pushed himself up from his chair and stomped over to the front desk. ‘Aleisha?’ he said. His voice was quiet, no more than a whisper. The library was still almost empty, but in his mind it was full of everyone he’d met, fictional and non-fictional, over this one summer.
‘Yes?’ her reply came back sharply, and as soon as she heard it, he could tell she regretted her tone. ‘Yes,’ she said again, softly this time.
‘You know this?’ He held up one of the Save Our Libraries leaflets.
‘Yes?’
‘How are we actually meant to save our libraries, if we don’t ask for help?’
‘Er, Mr P, I think that’s what the leaflets are all about.’
‘Okay, fine, but … you know what I mentioned earlier, about Denver going to ask for help. What if we asked the community for help? Because, this library – it’s been helpful for me. It has made me bolder, it has given me friends. And I am just one person.’
‘I’m sorry, I’m not following,’ Aleisha’s face was expressionless.
‘Sitting here in silence with others can feel much less lonesome than sitting at home surrounded by my family constantly talking over me. It is nice, comforting, to see the same people every week. And it feels like I’ve got so much out of it, because I’ve got people to keep me company. I am just one person, and I have got all of this from stepping out of my house, from leaving my comfort zone, just like what Denver did … and now, here I am, at the library … a place that feels like it helps me. Now, you always mentioned Aidan loved this place too. What did he like about it?’
‘Peace. I think he found it peaceful. He could be alone here. But he hasn’t come for years, unless it was for keeping an eye on me now and again. He was so busy.’
‘Okay, I understand. But this place, it was still very important to him, ne? And so many people come here for peace, or for friends. How would he feel about this Save Our Libraries thing?’
Aleisha shrugged.
‘Would he have been happy if the council closed this place down?’
Aleisha shrugged again.
‘I don’t think he would. I don’t think you would.’
Aleisha smiled, ‘No, you’re probably right. But, I don’t see what we can do? Everyone’s seen the leaflets, and there’s like a JustGiving page or something too.’
‘Okay, but I have a better idea.’ He waited for Aleisha to say something like, ‘Go on, I want to hear it’, but she didn’t. He continued anyway.
‘I know that you do lots of other things, like the book club stuff, I have seen the posters on the wall. But you must need to be busier, yes?’ Again, Aleisha remained silent. ‘So, I would like to do a community drop-in morning, or afternoon, or whatever you think is best. You’re the professional.’
Aleisha rolled her eyes, ‘I’m not the professional. What do you mean?’
‘No need for a library card, no need to take out books if you don’t want to. We could use this reception bit for a coffee and cake and food thing; people always come for food, especially if it’s free. Or even just a donation to charity. Every Wednesday perhaps. A chance to speak to people. And that can be the thing, talk to one new person every time you come. To help more people feel a little bit less lonely, and maybe help keep the library going. Because they don’t have to sign up, but as soon as they’re here, they’ll want to, won’t they? It can make it popular again!’
‘You think enough people would come? They’re not exactly a chatty bunch here, are they? Other than this one lady who comes on Tuesdays sometimes and she never stops talking.’
‘… It’s just a chance for us to ask for help, for the library, for each other too. Could we try? Could you ask? I think it would be nice – maybe people just need a little prod to talk to someone new.’
‘I don’t know if my boss would agree. Wouldn’t it just be the same people who come?’
‘He will like it because it will bring even more people to this library. It will be “come for the cakes, stay for the books – and the new friends!” Isn’t it? We could do flyers – but not like these sad ones,’ he held up the Save Our Libraries leaflets again.
She sighed. ‘I’ll ask.’