My Secret Book Club

 

The little free library box along the path around the lake.

Yesterday on day two of the new year I waited until later in the afternoon before heading out to the park across the street, to walk around the lake. It had been a warm day but it was beginning to cool off and I was dressed warmly. As I came up towards the picnic shelter I saw the little free library box, and remembering how I had found the children's book about Robin Hood the day before, and enjoyed reading the first chapter, my hope grew that the book would still be there when I returned, so that I could read more from it.

It was indeed still there, and I took it with me down the path to the picnic shelter, where as before I sat at the metal picnic, where the late afternoon sun could illuminate the pages of the book. The first chapter had been Robin Hood's origin story--the usurpation of Prince John while his brother was in the Holy Land, the persecution of the Saxons, and the murder of Robin's father and the destruction of his estate. This sent him into the Green Wood where, his heart burdened by thoughts of revenge, he instead lifted his heart to God and swore an oath to protect the weak, and (ahem) reallocate funds from the rich to the poor. 

Chapter two finds us with Robin already in league with other displaced Saxons in the Green Wood, and wearing Lincoln Green outfits. On one sally, he meets John Little on a narrow footbridge and they have it out with staves, with John getting the better of him. Robin's response is laughter and his invitation to John to join him in the forest, and they became friends for life. John's entrance is readily accepted by Robin's companions and they christen him with the new name Little John.

As I mentioned, the volume here is a thin children's paperback with yellow highlighter marking and obvious paper damage. There is something beautiful about it. I don't know if it will still be there today when I go out. Of course I could take it with me, and even bring it out to the lake with me to read, but somehow I want to keep in the little box, where it is open to other people to read or to take. As long as it is there, I will keep reading from it, and if it happens to disappear then only then maybe I will obtain another copy and proceed from there.