I've just come back from our little town where I was doing some shopping. I was in our local bookshop/stationers when I couldn't help overhearing a conversation. It's hard not to when the participants are speaking that loudly. There were two middle-aged women and a teenager who was the daughter of one of the women. The daughterless woman (DW) was looking for a book.
DW: I'm looking for a book for Jenny by that woman writer - you know, Stevie Mywotsit - who writes about vampires.
Teenage Girl (TG): Oh yeah - Stephanie Meyer?
DW: Uhm - I really don't know. All I know is it's vampires.
TG (leading the way to the teen section which had a whole section devoted to Stephanie Meyer): Is it these ones?
DW: Yes! Yes! Oh but she has all these already she's just missing the last one.
TG: Oh that's Breaking Dawn - it's still out in hardcover. I don't think it's in paperback yet.
Then TG has a good look around the shelves and even goes to the front of the shop to check if it might be with the new releases.
DW: Any joy?
TG: No - afraid not. They tend not to stock harcovers of teen novels in here. The shop's too small and they only keep a small selection. I did see another Stephanie Meyer book over there though - it's in a different section.
OM (Other Mum) suggests they go have a look and they all decamp to another shelf to stand in front of The Host.
OM: You could get that for her instead.
DM: Oh yeah, I s'pose. Is it the same as the others?
TG: No. It's a different genre. This is science fiction. My friend read it though and she said it was brilliant.
OM: And a lot of writers write similar in their different books. If she likes them vampire ones she might like this too.
DM: I dunno. She really wants that last vampire one to see how it comes out.
TG: Just order it online. You could have it in a couple of days.
DM: But she's nearly finished the ones she has...
At this stage a slight quiver of panic was starting to enter her (very annoying and loud) voice. The other two just had blank expressions - clearly they did not understand the problem. So DM continued...
DM: Wot it is - right? When school finished on Friday she came down here and bought them other books and disappeared with them into her room. She loves them. She's had her head stuck in them non-stop. I haven't seen hide nor hair of her since...
Then she took a breath and added....
....It's been lovely.
13 comments:
That is hilarious, and yet sad. But I can understand how the peace and quiet might have seemed so heavenly to the mom in question.
That's awesome. I know a lot of people aren't fans of Meyer, but I'm happy for any book that can get a teen that excited over reading.
LOL! I finally understand why I was my parents favorite! (he he)
AH HA HA HAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
That was hysterical!!!!!!
*snort*
Oh, my. Just -- oh, my. That's great stuff!
Hey — reading could be the new Ritalin.
HA!!!!!!!
Sooo funny.
Laugh not, Whirl. When I was young I had a friend who was totally hyper and his mum did not know what to do with him. My mum told her to teach him to read. She did. Said it was the best single piece of treatment/medication he ever got.
That's priceless! And nicely transcripted too, I must say. You totally crack me up.
That's hysterical!
I could really imagine that scene! I love the voices - so spot-on.
Two years ago, I gave a friend's daughter Twilight for a bit of beach reading. Natalie was 13, dyslexic, and an extremely reluctant reader. Apparently, Nat could not put the book down . . . and her mother actually called me from Antigua to ask me to buy the next book for her as well!
I have to admit that I ripped through all four of them in less than a week! I haven't read The Host, but it's hardly going to be a substitute for finding out what happens next!
Ha!! There's something to be said for a teen who's quiet because of a book. Not because she's sulking or angry or.... :)
So true!! LOL!
I enjoyed the Twilight books-- great reads! And The Host, too. Stephanie's a fun storyteller. I'm eager to see what she does with this mermaid idea that she's mentioned. She certainly puts interesting twists on common fantasy themes.
And you captured this conversation so brilliantly! Thanks for sharing it!
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