Successful hunting
Found in the wild at last
by CpeterskyAugust 31, 2005
Let me say now, I have gone hunting many times. I have talked to cheery baristas and grumpy security guards, asked them to look behind counters and in boxes, hoping that the errant book was either found or put away somewhere. As soon as a book gets released
on the bus, the next day I've called up Metro Transit's Lost and Found, hoping that this time, the book will turn up.
But I have never found a BookCrossing book in the wild, ever.
This time, though, I happened to take a look at the "Go Hunting" page for Seattle. I was at work, downtown, and I had some errands to run on my bike around the U-District up to Lake City when work was done.
I happened to notice that one of the places to which books had just been released was at a laundromat at 25th and 55th. That was about 5 blocks from one of my errands, and surely I could make a brief diversion to see if any of the books were still there.
I ran my bike over to the laundromat, and parked it against the building. Out front, a woman dressed in a sleeveless top and wedged into a vinyl chair asked me if I needed help.
"I'm looking for a book here. It got left behind."
She replied, concerned, "Oh, it wasn't a library book, was it?"
I said, "No. I don't remember the title, but it should have a BookCrossing sticker on it."
She waved her arm to indicate that I should feel free to rummage around the facility, and took another drag on her cigarette.
I found a library book, a Seattle Library discard. I examined it thoroughly; no BookCrossing sticker. I then rummaged through piles of old newspapers and magazines; no books. Finally, I found some books, in the back room. Each and every single one had a BookCrossing sticker! And there's a pile of them!
Greed suddenly overtook me. I had the desire to scoop up all of them. Mine! Mine! Mine! I could release these all over the city! Woo-hoo!
Then good sense took over. Maybe I should leave some behind, here at the laundromat, for others to discover and enjoy. I decided to take two -- one that might interest me, and one that might interest my kids.
After examining the lot, I took two mysteries: an Agatha Christie and a Nancy Drew. I nodded to the cigarette-smoking proprietress on the way out, stashed the books in the trunk of my bike, and took off.
Editor's note: CPetersky has been a BookCrosser since November 28, 2002. Congratulations on your catch!
But I have never found a BookCrossing book in the wild, ever.
This time, though, I happened to take a look at the "Go Hunting" page for Seattle. I was at work, downtown, and I had some errands to run on my bike around the U-District up to Lake City when work was done.
I happened to notice that one of the places to which books had just been released was at a laundromat at 25th and 55th. That was about 5 blocks from one of my errands, and surely I could make a brief diversion to see if any of the books were still there.
I ran my bike over to the laundromat, and parked it against the building. Out front, a woman dressed in a sleeveless top and wedged into a vinyl chair asked me if I needed help.
"I'm looking for a book here. It got left behind."
She replied, concerned, "Oh, it wasn't a library book, was it?"
I said, "No. I don't remember the title, but it should have a BookCrossing sticker on it."
She waved her arm to indicate that I should feel free to rummage around the facility, and took another drag on her cigarette.
I found a library book, a Seattle Library discard. I examined it thoroughly; no BookCrossing sticker. I then rummaged through piles of old newspapers and magazines; no books. Finally, I found some books, in the back room. Each and every single one had a BookCrossing sticker! And there's a pile of them!
Greed suddenly overtook me. I had the desire to scoop up all of them. Mine! Mine! Mine! I could release these all over the city! Woo-hoo!
Then good sense took over. Maybe I should leave some behind, here at the laundromat, for others to discover and enjoy. I decided to take two -- one that might interest me, and one that might interest my kids.
After examining the lot, I took two mysteries: an Agatha Christie and a Nancy Drew. I nodded to the cigarette-smoking proprietress on the way out, stashed the books in the trunk of my bike, and took off.
Editor's note: CPetersky has been a BookCrosser since November 28, 2002. Congratulations on your catch!
