Tag: panic

I found myself in my car yesterday on the way to a doctor’s appointment in a panic when I realized I DIDN’T HAVE A BOOK WITH ME.

This is kind of a lie. I found two books in my car, but they were both coffee table books, and I couldn’t see myself sitting in the waiting room balancing a large copy of British Art from 1500–1800 in my lap.

As I see plenty of people in waiting rooms waiting patiently without books, I assume that finding one’s self bookless while having to do something involve waiting does not strike everyone’s heart with fear the way it does mine.

How do people survive without books? Smartphones and magazines don’t cut it for me. I’m quite an impatient waiter and they just don’t capture my attention enough. Small snippets are no good. I need to get lost to make me forget that one of my legs is asleep and my appointment was an hour ago but there are still 3 people who haven’t been called back that were here before me.

In any case, I settled for a magazine, which almost caused a dangerous shopping spree as it triggered a furious smartphone window shopping session when I saw a pair of workout pants I liked in the magazine (except they cost $98 which was sobering even in my desperate state).

Yes, only a book will do.