Short Stories

Us and the Pot Plant

 A library is the location, sadness is the theme. A plant is an object that plays a part in the story.

I sat in the library like usual, a book in the hand on one of the little comfy seats, in the corner by myself. I would always read at lunch times in the library, by myself. Most of the time was the case though. Sometimes I got curious. Curious enough to peep up and look past my book at the other people in the library. The people that didn’t go to the library to read, they were the people that came to the library to talk to chat, to make noise. I watched a group at the table, some had their laptops out and they were having a great conversation smiling and laughing. Why did they come to library if all they wanted to do was to talk? Why not go somewhere else, we they can be outside with fresh air to breath instead of inside, making it hard for some people to read. I looked over to some more people, sitting on the floor in a small group discussing something. What is so great about the library if you don’t read a book? Some people were on the computer, studying or researching for class or maybe just playing games. Why use up a library’s internet resources to do that? I looked over to a pot plant. Was a like the pot plant? In the corner, by myself, being an outcast, not drawing any attention to myself, not being social. I liked reading, I liked the quiet. Frankly outside was too loud for me. Beside the pot plant was a girl, curled up and crying. I looked around. Had anyone noticed her? Was she as isolated from the crowd as the pot plant and I was? It was like everyone had selective viewing, they could only see what they wanted to see and people like me were pushed right out of their view. After some time I got up, closing my book and taking it with me. I walked across the room to the girl and the pot plant. At first I didn’t know what to do. Then I leant down and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Are you alright?” I asked. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. But didn’t answer.

“I was wondering if you would like to read a book with me and this pot plant.” I gestured to the plant. She looked at the plant beside her.

“What” he asked a little confused.

“You don’t really stand out to other people around here.” I pointed out, begging that I wasn’t accidently offending her. “Kinda like me and this pot plant, so I am just trying to make you feel better and I know I am doing a terrible job of it. But would you like to read a book together with this pot plant?” I said again. She looked at me and then the pot plant.

“What do you want to read?” she asked. I looked at the book in my hand. It was a boring book, I moved it behind my back.

“What’s your favorite book?” I asked.

“My favorite.” She mumbled. “Alice in Wonderland.”

“Be right back.” I said. No doubt I had read the book before, but I was being helpful and I wanted to cheer her up. Besides it was a good book and I would always be willing to read it again. I found the book and came back to her. To my surprise she was talking to the pot plant. How unusual. I sat down beside her and together we started to read the book.

Maybe there was loud people in the library and there was a few that did actually read a book in silence. Like the girl, myself and the pot plant.