Posted by dove on July 21, 2000, at 15:13:34
In reply to 84 Charing Cross Rd: Email style letters Pre Email, posted by noa on July 21, 2000, at 12:56:39
Yes Noa, I've been trying to recall the name and author of that book forever! My grandma read it to me when I was a youngin' and I just adored it. I would follow along as she read aloud, laying across the painful and ancient steel-spring bed, elbows planted firmly with chin resting on my hands, and eyes glued to the delightfully expressive text of this ongoing and mutating relationship so detached from my personal reality and life at that time.
It awoke something inside my imagination that just soaked up the ambience, I so desired to be part of this lovely occupation that crossed oceans and nationalities. To be occupied with yellowed pages of old-letter set print, flowery script too intricate to actually read but beautiful none-the-less. To be always surrounded by musty gorgeous books. To observe the strange, eccentric, and odd, in both book and person. To be detached, yet so close, to be intimate and yet so very guarded.
I dreamt of England, her coal stained buildings covered by a damp chill blanket of fog, always dimming the yellow-vapor street-lamps as Dickens-esque street urchins scuffle about with their big hungry eyes and scrawny asymmetrical limbs. All the while, my Grandma kept reading, turning this page, the next, and the one after that, her velvet voice a distant thrum in my dream world's ears. And my eyes would grow heavy for once in my life :-) as I drifted off to sleep dreaming of writing, and books, and partaking of distant conversations with very intriguing and unusual people.
But as I said, I can't remember many details from the book, but I will be tracking it down for another read. Thank you *so* much Noa, you've reminded me of such beautiful memories. I am very blessed!!! Sometimes we forget the small things, the pearls hidden beneath the grimy crust. The core of what we find pleasurable and comforting often rest there, hidden and forgotten. Lovely lovely thoughts going out your way (((Noa)))
dove
poster:dove
thread:41125
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000717/msgs/41133.html