Place #2

Warning: these photos are misleading. Massachusetts is under a thick layer of snow and ice at the moment. Photos taken at a kinder and gentler time.

Whatever chaos I may feel in my own life....the lists with nothing crossed off, plans to be made, phone calls unanswered, dog woes, ice under foot, computer with color whirl spinning all night, it all drops away when I step into the Concord Public Library.

Order reigns here. Everything works. Books are checked in and checked out. I overhear that someone has a fine of 25 cents for an overdue book. The librarian is apologetic as if it was her fault. The climate is controlled, it is a relief to walk through the door and get away from winter's stabbing cold. The bathroom is clean and well lit. The handicap stall has room for the bags I carry around full of books to return and notebooks for the writing class I teach here. There is even a hook for my coat. I could live here. I wash my hands as I leave. In the hall are two water fountains. Two! One for small people and one for tall people.

Why is this building here? Largely to hold tales of love, murder, death, jealousy, war, suicide, gunshots, travel, raising children, a barn fire that kills horses, a good night story as gentle as a mother's voice. Wild imaginings, gods bursting out of the heads of other gods. A one eyed monster. Odysseus who longs to go home.

The drama of my own life is contained and tamed here as I walk into the building that manages to hold everything.

Back to the "dog woes." Calley is fine but she has an incessant itch all over her body and is pretty uncomfortable. We have tried everything! Finally the person at the pet supply store said that allergies to wheat and chicken are very common in dogs. The dried food she eats is just that, so are her "treats!" So we're on a new regime of wheat free non chicken food. She loves it luckily. Hoping for the best.