A Peculiar String of Bizarre Dreams

Chapter 5: Viscous Stupidity

After my exchange with Phina, I aimlessly browse the library aisles.

The Avian Oaks Library may appear medieval on the outside, but its interiors are chicly furnished and equipped to meet the needs of modern readers.

There is a Starbucks right across Phina's desk and a delicious sandwich joint on the third floor. Elegant staircases curling upwards are located centrally on the ground floor. And there are elevators on every floor, to assist those who suffer from the occasional 'I can't be bothered to climb the stairs' as well as those who genuinely need help with elevation.

I am just about done drinking up the stunning details of several book covers, when a man in a black suit rushes past me towards the history section. I almost trip over my feet due to his haste, but grab a shelf in time to steady myself.

From my vantage point, I can discern that he has short black hair and sharp features. I oddly feel star-struck, like my thinking capacities have suddenly been compromised. Perhaps because young men of the tycoon variety never rush past young ladies in quiet library aisles, especially not in Avian Oaks.

My brain eventually commands my eyes to stop gawking and reprimands my senses to behave sensibly. I stop watching the man like a stalker and attempt to behave like a responsible adult. Next thing I know, I find myself walking over to him.

"Excuse me? Are you looking for something specific? Maybe I can help," I politely offer. I am aware that I'm not Phina, but I do know a thing or two about books. He turns to face me, and I catch uncertainty in his black eyes.

"Umm no...not really...thank you. I'm sorry, I almost knocked you over before. Sometimes, I don't know what I'm doing until it's already done."

Which, reminds me of Marion's auto-pilot rant. The entire town must be under some sort of a zombie spell, I think to myself.

"Oh that's okay, I'm still standing...no fall, no foul," I tell him awkwardly. Did I just say 'no fall, no foul?' How clever of me, my stupidity always dawns on me slowly and viscously. But then I immediately get distracted by the way he's pacing back and forth about the aisle.

"I've forgotten all my manners today. I'm Eli by the way," he says as he walks closer to me, and extends his hand towards me.

I self-consciously put my clammy hand into his open palm and allow him do all the shaking. I suddenly realize that I'm grinning a bit too widely. My teeth seem to be stubbornly fixed on display, as if a dentist has shoved a sadistic contraption into my mouth to keep it open while all the dentistry takes place.

Have I mentioned my viscous stupidity? To compensate or more likely to further my embarrassment, my brain naturally transitions into small talk.

"Nice to meet you, Eli. My names Jemmalyn, but everyone calls me Jemma."

"Pleasure to meet you, Jemmalyn." I notice that he has stopped pacing, and the uncertainty I caught in his eyes before is almost gone.

"Have I seen you before, Eli?" I ask.

Sometimes when you think you've done enough damage, your abilities surprise you. Self-discovery is rotten.

Of course, I haven't seen Eli before. But in defense of my viscous stupidity, it feels like the right thing to ask, considering I practically know everyone who lives in town.

"I moved back into town last week. Avian Oaks is my home apparently, but I've barely spent any time here." He tells me sheepishly.

"How does that work? I thought home is usually where your loved ones live."

A wry smile appears on his pleasant face. Oh no, does he know that I think his face is 'pleasant'? Because I have been told my face can speak a thousand words, I can involuntarily give away my thoughts.

"Sure, that can be home too. Unfortunately, I have not personally experienced it. I was sent to a boarding school on my 5th birthday. From there, I went to university. Finished Business School last month and got a job in the city. I'm finally back, and Avian Oaks is home for a while."

A man detached from a place called home, unfortunate perhaps fortunate, I wouldn't know.

He starts laughing, "You must think I'm so miserable to not know what a proper 'home' feels like."

So, that confirms it: this guy can definitely hear my thoughts before I voice them.

"No, I'm sorry, that wasn't what I was implying. I lose perspective sometimes. Never mind me...seriously, what book are you looking for? Avian Oaks Library and I have been good friends since the day I could walk. My parents used to bring me here all the time because I was a careful child. I didn't bump over books or scream and cry and break the silence. I can probably fetch an old book from around here, blindfolded."

The wry smile makes a reappearance. And I notice a seamless transition, he seems to have shaken off all traces of his previous uncertainty. "If I tell you a secret, you promise you won't tell?" He asks me with a glint in his eyes.

"I won't tell anyone." I soberly promise him and play along, "I will make this supremely confidential between us."

His voice drops down a few decibels as he begins, "I have a business meeting in an hour. And I have to make an important decision during it. This will be my very first meeting actually. Point being, I was a bit nervous before. And when I'm nervous, I head to a place full of books, preferably a place like this." He gestures around and continues, "This morning, I googled the first library I could find nearby, and voila, here I am."

He grins after this conclusion and I think how much of what he says confuses and amuses me.

"You know, you didn't have to search for this library on the internet. It's the only significant library in town, and it's really not hard to miss. Anyone anywhere in Avian Oaks can see this building from their porch."

He looks unabashed by that. So, I take the liberty to prod further.

"How does being in a library or a place full of books, take away your...uncertainty?"

He studies me carefully and says,"That's a secret not many are privileged to know. But I believe, we have a confidential agreement?"

I solemnly nod to reaffirm my integrity.

"When I'm nervous, I go to a library and there, I head to the history section. I pick a random book and let it lead me to a random page, where I read the first thing I see. Whatever I read, I consider as divine intervention and interpret it to match my context. Nine out of ten times, this works, and I instantly feel better," he confesses.

This revelation makes me crumble a little in admiration. But for the most part, I am left intrigued and mystified. Instead, I manage to say, "Thank you for sharing that with me, Eli. Your secret is safe with me. I'm glad you feel better."

To which he replies, "Actually, I didn't pick a book today. I haven't read a word yet. But I think I'm ready for that meeting now."