Special Delivery

Yes, we are a library and yes we receive boxes of books. Yes, this is the fund raising month and yes, boxes of stuff are being left at the library doorstep for the Jumble but a few days back a delivery van pulled up.

Many eyes lifted from screen, pages of books and faces and we tracked the delivery man as he opened the back doors of his van. Breaths were held, thoughts floated around the possibilities of this being a package for our home owners next door, for an individual at Bookworm or for me, Sujata  who tends to use the library address as a mailing address.

We followed the man as he lifted a carefully packaged box and were delighted to find it delivered to Bookworm.  Jewel characteristically raised her eyebrows at me asking if I had made an order and forgotten to report it ? Would cash on delivery be expected ? And this time I was in the clear. “No, not I. Then Who ? “

No sooner had the delivery man taken his clipboard and returned to his truck.. scissors and cutters were out and the box was being examined as one might a strange artifact.

From A & A Publishers http://www.aabooktrust.org/, it said. “Ma’am ‘”Jewel declared,” you ordered books !!! ” “No, I shot back these are from friends” and I was right !!! Whoo hoo !!

A gift – a bounty really ! So many wonderful titles spilled out in Hindi and English. books we have shared, books we are still to read and books that we have loved. . Ruth who has bookfaced with Pippi Longstocking, recognised the stripy socks and thin legs. Leeja who has seen Mama Moo, recognised these while I welcomed Ayesha – a fine book, Anokhi stories and some new characters we will all meet.

Thank you Arundhati and Arvind for gifting Bookworm these books. It is always heartening to know that you are looking out for our work, nurturing and celebrating our journey by your sharing. We assure you of our best efforts as we travel on with nurturing a love for reading and books ! We too believe that books are a window to out world.