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Have you ever had a gut instinct so strong you’ve had no choice but to follow through?
5 days ago Id walked past a book sitting on a step in Southbank. I was on my way to lunch, to read a book of my own. It had very obviously been left behind, with no one around. A letter poked out of one of the pages as a marker.
I continued walking.
An hour later I returned to work, and there on the step was the book. Still all alone, so I picked it up.
A title I hadn’t heard before, by a Victorian author. The name on the inside of the book did not match the name on the envelope, but the envelope was empty. A heavily cursive script gave me a Victorian address, but it was hard to decipher. I shoved it into my bag, maybe it would be a good read?
Back in the office, it niggled at me, and I had to decipher the script. I could make out the surname, so I searched them on the white pages… no luck. Then I realised the postal code was my own! Once I had seen this, it clicked… and I could make sense of the text…this person lived on my street! It would be unfair of me to live so close and not return the book. Even if it did not belong to them directly, they would probably know who owned it.
So I wrote a small note on the nearest piece of paper, saying that I had found this book but was not sure if it was there’s and, regardless, seeing as I lived nearby I had decided to find its home, and that I hoped it was a ‘good read’.
On the weekend, as Jimmy and I went to the shop for dinner, I asked him to pass by this house. My neighbourhood is one of much high-density apartment living – but this residence stood out. It had high fences, ornate metal work, meticulous gardens, and the house was a grand white manor-style building. I slipped the book into the mailbox, and it slipped out of my mind.
Today, at work, I received a letter! It was from the lady I returned the book to! I’d used a ‘With Compliments’ slip from work that did not have a return address on it, so the lady must have looked the company up.
This is what she wrote;
5 days ago Id walked past a book sitting on a step in Southbank. I was on my way to lunch, to read a book of my own. It had very obviously been left behind, with no one around. A letter poked out of one of the pages as a marker.
I continued walking.
An hour later I returned to work, and there on the step was the book. Still all alone, so I picked it up.
A title I hadn’t heard before, by a Victorian author. The name on the inside of the book did not match the name on the envelope, but the envelope was empty. A heavily cursive script gave me a Victorian address, but it was hard to decipher. I shoved it into my bag, maybe it would be a good read?
Back in the office, it niggled at me, and I had to decipher the script. I could make out the surname, so I searched them on the white pages… no luck. Then I realised the postal code was my own! Once I had seen this, it clicked… and I could make sense of the text…this person lived on my street! It would be unfair of me to live so close and not return the book. Even if it did not belong to them directly, they would probably know who owned it.
So I wrote a small note on the nearest piece of paper, saying that I had found this book but was not sure if it was there’s and, regardless, seeing as I lived nearby I had decided to find its home, and that I hoped it was a ‘good read’.
On the weekend, as Jimmy and I went to the shop for dinner, I asked him to pass by this house. My neighbourhood is one of much high-density apartment living – but this residence stood out. It had high fences, ornate metal work, meticulous gardens, and the house was a grand white manor-style building. I slipped the book into the mailbox, and it slipped out of my mind.
Today, at work, I received a letter! It was from the lady I returned the book to! I’d used a ‘With Compliments’ slip from work that did not have a return address on it, so the lady must have looked the company up.
This is what she wrote;
Dear Kaye,
What a lovely surprise to have the book returned. I had hoped someone would take a punt on the enclosed envelope, but wasn’t very hopeful.
It was quite a relief too, as a friend had lent me the book and I was going to have to replace it!
I use the public transport system a lot, so always take something to read. I don’t usually leave my reading material behind!
The book is actually rather dreary, but now I shall finish it.
Thank you so much,
Sincerely,
Lesley G
P.S. We are nice neighbours (though seriously “senior”). Call in some time.
How lovely that she took the time to send me a letter in return! I cant describe the it, almost like joy but not quite, like content but not quite, almost like relief but not quite. And there was something more…
I cant let go of this feeling that there is something deeper.
Do you believe in chance or fate? Karma? Im not sure what I believe in, but my life choices have been no accident. Ive always had little gifts like this … Mum says its Pa (her dad) and maybe it is, but Im also happy to believe its just guidance of any form (Im not religious). Its like the time that my shoe broke moments before I was to walk under a ladder, so I paused momentarily only to have a hammer drop from two metres above and crash to the spot where I would have been at that second. Or like the time that I could not decide if I was going to move to Melbourne then I discovered a map of Melbourne in a pile of paper I had accidentally picked up from the office in perth.
Its when I listen to these little gifts that amazing things happen.
And this is where I come to something deeper. Not only did that book remain untouched on that step near my office to be found by me, but its owner lived on my street. Nowhere else in Victoria… but ON MY STREET. And to take it further, this lady has the same name as my mother… even down to the unusual spelling.
Lesley has extended an offer for me to stop by. I think I may just do that….
What a lovely surprise to have the book returned. I had hoped someone would take a punt on the enclosed envelope, but wasn’t very hopeful.
It was quite a relief too, as a friend had lent me the book and I was going to have to replace it!
I use the public transport system a lot, so always take something to read. I don’t usually leave my reading material behind!
The book is actually rather dreary, but now I shall finish it.
Thank you so much,
Sincerely,
Lesley G
P.S. We are nice neighbours (though seriously “senior”). Call in some time.
How lovely that she took the time to send me a letter in return! I cant describe the it, almost like joy but not quite, like content but not quite, almost like relief but not quite. And there was something more…
I cant let go of this feeling that there is something deeper.
Do you believe in chance or fate? Karma? Im not sure what I believe in, but my life choices have been no accident. Ive always had little gifts like this … Mum says its Pa (her dad) and maybe it is, but Im also happy to believe its just guidance of any form (Im not religious). Its like the time that my shoe broke moments before I was to walk under a ladder, so I paused momentarily only to have a hammer drop from two metres above and crash to the spot where I would have been at that second. Or like the time that I could not decide if I was going to move to Melbourne then I discovered a map of Melbourne in a pile of paper I had accidentally picked up from the office in perth.
Its when I listen to these little gifts that amazing things happen.
And this is where I come to something deeper. Not only did that book remain untouched on that step near my office to be found by me, but its owner lived on my street. Nowhere else in Victoria… but ON MY STREET. And to take it further, this lady has the same name as my mother… even down to the unusual spelling.
Lesley has extended an offer for me to stop by. I think I may just do that….
K
2 comments:
I definitely think you should do.
For some weird reason I think this owner of the book is a lonely person and looking for a bit of company. She would be very lucky to have you around but then again she could be a weirdo :P
I wrote her a letter back today...
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