There's a gorgeous moment when you're in a crowded group and you catch someone, usually unintentionally, in an intimate moment. It's a special moment and the catch is--you relish it personally as they embrace it personally. And the object of this observation has no realization of the impact they impart.I had this experience today and I rather savored it. In a rare occurrence, I was working in the City and rode a subway jam packed full of humanity in the evening. With the distractions of many people of many sizes in multi-colored hues of attire and accessories, I spied an unremarkable young man. He was perched on a seat deeply engrossed in a thin tome. That's right--a bona fide book. Not a Kindle, not an iPad, nor a Sony Reader, a Kindle DX or a Mivizu. A real book with pages and binding and--shock of all shocks--a hard back.
He was not distracted by the scores of people pushing on and off the train. He caressed the volume and read deeply. I studied his face, fascinated by the absolute engrossment of the story he was consuming. And then, the best moment of all. He began to smile. The corners of his thin mouth turned up and suddenly, he laughed out loud, completely unconcious of the masses around him. A reader in the moment.
I have done this myself, many times. If a story is so engrossing and well written, you're bound to be drawn in and become part of the scene itself. I have a memory of crying copiously while reading "Ethan Fromme" on the 1 train. People moved away from me.
After this young man reposed from his moment of mirth and set to return to his reading, his eye caught mine. Of course, I was trained on his reading (and I did so with jealously for his ability to detach and entrench himself in another world for the duration of his commute). I felt intrusive for imposing on his moment but I managed an acknowledging smile. He smiled back at me. He then returned to his book. And continued to read, reacting, enjoying, retreating into a world that clearly gave him a great deal of pleasure.
Now that I think of it, I should have written down the name of his book.
2 comments:
That sounds like a spectacular moment. I love to read--Dan does it out of necessity. I've tried to instill in Declan, when you read you have no boundaries, you can go anywhere without a passport, a dime, without a moment of notice. I think he gets it. He's reading the Percy Jackson series--who knew a 7 year old would love greek mythology. I think I'm winning. I hope he has many moments like your young man on the train. I would indeed be very pleased.
Oh, Mare. Your son is a rather exceptional fellow. He will be a great reader, I know. He's already a great thinker. I am glad for your validation of this theory.
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