Red Room Where the Writers Are

I clearly remember those days when myself and my classmates used to have a lot of fun, playing games during the free period, and enjoying ourselves. In class 6th, we were introduced to our school'd Library, through a special weekly Library hour. I hadn't seen so many books at a single place before. True, my sister had given me a few books earlier, and I was not new to reading. But it was an overwhelming feeling altogether.

The librarians, there were two of them, were stern looking ladies, typically the type who would be found maintaining discipline and decorum in a library. My classmates were a kind of their own. While they used to waste their time looking at magazines, I found myself attracted to the shelves full of books, their old, slightly musty smell all the more heavenly.

Somehow I never was able to notice that I was one of the selected few amongst my classmates, who actually used the available time in reading a good book than browsing magazines. Summer holidays were approaching and I was tempted to take some of those good books home.

One day as I was returning a borrowed book, I gave in to the temptation and asked the librarian if, I could borrow the books for more than a week. I knew, demanding books for the holidays was not only out of question, it was plain suicide. But my teacher somehow sensed my hesitation and asked if i wanted to borrow a few books for the vacation.

"Is it really possible", I asked her in amazement. She told me that there are quite a number of books, which, because of wear and tear, have been kept separately and are not in regular circulation anymore. I could choose any four books of my choice out of those. All I would have needed to do is to submit them back the first day after the vacations.

While I don't remember exactly which books I chose that day, but the incident remains fresh in my memory. The library teacher not only turned out to be a gentle lady, she came out as a person who could see my hesitation. She knew that I loved reading.  Also, later, she was the one who adviced me about books which I should read. Needless to say, it was an exciting summer vacation for me!