She Penned my Dreams

Day and Night

Good news and bad news. Good news; Katie definitely loved my surprise date location. Bad news; the librarians and other patrons did not love Katie. Normally, I'd be so embarrassed to have dozens of people giving me dirty looks. But being pulled around all over the giant building, by a laughing, skipping, sometimes squealing, beautiful young woman; I couldn't seem to wipe the smile off my face.

The second she walked through the massive wooden doors, she was off—flitting here and there, dragging me along behind her. Every now and then she'd come to a screeching halt, literally. Whenever she'd see a section of book she liked, she'd let out this ludicrously adorable little shriek, toss the book at me, and then go speeding off to the next section.

All the librarians were attempting to stare her down, but I don't even know that she noticed. She was having too much fun to be deterred by scornful glances. Even the librarians I knew personally were giving me looks, clearly saying "Why would you bring her here?!" But I didn't mind. I just followed along behind her, balancing her ever growing stack of books. If it hadn't been for me accompanying her, the likely would've thrown her out. But they knew me here, and trusted me well enough to take care of the books, and probably to control Katie. But I was fairly certain nothing could control her.

Finally, about an hour later, when she'd covered nearly the entire building, and grabbed about 15 different books, Katie stopped moving. For the first time since stepping out of the car, she stood still and actually spoke to me.

"Spence, I can honestly say, this has already been the best date of my life!" She said breathlessly. I merely beamed at her over the massive pile of books in my hands, mentally patting myself on the back.

"I have a table I normally read at in the back, if you want to go there," I offered. I came here a lot, nearly any day we had off. I had my own table, most of the regular staff knew me, and I was allowed to stay until complete closing at 9:30, opposed to the 'public closing' at 4:30.

"Actually, I saw a spot I liked back over here," Katie said, pointing back to the area behind the famous and rare children's books. I didn't ask, simply following along, happy to watch her hips sway as she practically frolicked through the Library of Congress.

As we turned through the stacks, I soon realized why she liked this spot. There was a small collection of old cushions on the ground, obviously intended for children as they read. However the last time I saw a minor at the Library of Congress, he was doing a report on the building in high school. Settling into the corner, she patted the cushion next to her. Setting down the book I lowered myself next to her, stretching out my legs.

"So," I said, gesturing to the tall stack of books in front of us. "Which one first?"

"I don't know, I can't choose!" She said, her hands coming up to her cheeks. "You pick," she decided. I smiled and grabbed the one on top. It was the autobiography of Meriwether Lewis. I opened to the first page and began to read softly, hoping the librarians would forget about Katie and I. An employee would walk by every now and then, looking in at us; I imagine making sure I wasn't letting Katie abuse the books. By the time we finished the first book though, they stopped coming by, I guess trusting that Katie's energetic little rampage was over.

Halfway through the second book, which she also let me pick and read to her, Katie let out a small sigh, and rest her head on my shoulder. I asked her if she was tired, and she shook her head, smiling, assuring me she was just happy. She began picking apart her braid, her now dried hair hanging in waves around her head, smelling of fresh apples and vanilla. She buried her face in the fabric of my shirt and her fingers played absentmindedly with the end of my tie, her eyes closed and a smile on her lips.

By the end of the third book, an original copy of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men she sat up and stretched. Continuing to amaze me, she then laid down next me, stretching her long legs out over the cushions and laying her head in my lap. I paused in my reading and looked down at her. She merely smiled up at me, sweeping up her hair and flinging it back over my leg and onto the ground on the other side of me.