Readers Who Write

Recently I was taking a walk on South Keene Way Drive in Medford because I love looking at charming old houses. Since I can never pass up a Little Free Library, I stopped at one in front of one of my favorite houses, hoping to find a good read.

A big, thick, large print paperback looked intriguing. Although it was heavy, I lugged it along on my stroll.

For those unfamiliar, a Little Free Library is a small box on a wooden pole that houses books, and passers-by are encouraged to “Take a book, share a book.” They are popping up all over Medford, much to my delight.

The book, “The Giver of Stars” by Jojo Moyes, was so good I hated to get to the end. It’s based on the true story of a small group of women in Kentucky in 1937 who become Packhorse Librarians. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt wanted to encourage literacy in the country, so he paid women to bring books by horse to rural homes. Families were encouraged to borrow and read them.

I decided to keep “The Giver of Stars” for a future read. Being an unashamed “old school” girl, I don’t have cable TV and spend my leisure time reading books, magazines and even a newspaper! (Hard to find one of those nowadays.) This quote by Groucho Marx is tacked to my memo board: “I find television very educational. The minute somebody turns it on, I go into the library and read a good book.”

But a still, small voice told me to give the beloved book to Jojo Anderson, the owner of Main Street Coffee House in my town of Eagle Point. I was impressed with her homey, cozy reading area complete with a bookshelf stuffed with books.

That book would be a good addition. Plus … what are the chances? She has the same first name as the author.

Also, she hosts The Silent Readers Club monthly after hours where members can visit and have refreshments the first half-hour, then for an hour and a half read in blessed silence.

Tiffanie Grogan started the club in January. She thought it would be great for people who want to get away from the distractions of chores, family members, and especially their phones, and have a quiet place to curl up with a good book.

When I dropped in one night, I was pleasantly surprised that most of the members were young adults. Harper Lee, who wrote one of my favorite books, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” had this to say about her love of books as a child and her dedication to the written word: “Now, 75 years later, in an abundant society where people have laptops, cell phones, iPods and minds like empty rooms, I still plod along with books.”

I wrestled with myself a day or two, and then my better nature won out. I grabbed the book, hopped in the car and zipped over to Jojo’s shop. What?! Right before I got there, the road was blocked for resurfacing. But my mind was set. I pulled in near Mattie Brown Park and walked to my destination.

Jojo was surprised and happy to get the gift, but said she’d keep the book to read first before she adds it to the reading corner — patrons can keep her coffee shop’s books if they wish.

It’s wonderful seeing books being shared free of charge in coffee shops, Little Free Libraries, local libraries and from friend to friend, even by packhorse.

There’s a poster on my wall with a little girl on a flying carpet, and she’s reading a book as she flies through a dark, starry sky. The poster reads, “A book is a present you can open again and again.”

For me, it’s a magic carpet taking me anywhere I want to go. And, happily, a book is a gift you can keep passing on, again and again.

So you say you want to write?

Go for it.

Send us 500 or so words of scintillating copy. Make it funny. Make it poignant. Make it count. Make it any way you want.

Just don’t cuss. Don’t be boring. And have a point.

If we like it, we’ll run it.

Email submissions to community@rv-times.com. Put “Readers Who Write” in the subject line, and tell us the city where you live.