To Read. Or Not

Three years ago my friend Sue invited me to join the book group she participated in. I said sure. She loaned me the book that had been chosen for reading and discussion, a collection of three short stories by Willa Cather. The first meeting I attended fazed me just a little. This was a group of smart women. Very, very smart, very educated women. Librarians and English professors. I was certain that as soon as I opened my mouth I would be found out for the undereducated, slothful, pea-brain that I am. I was pleasantly surprised. These were smart, educated women to be sure. But they were also into opening a few bottles of wine and serving wonderful food. We had much more in common than not in common and I was comfortable almost immediately. There are even a couple of potty-mouthed ladies in addition to moi. Salty language flying about is normal and colorful metaphors are appreciated. In the last three years I have read a number of books that I otherwise would not have read. Most of them I enjoyed, only a couple I did not so much enjoy. I always enjoyed the discussion at our monthly meetings. Sometimes the group was evenly divided over the like/dislike issue. This resulted in lively and sometimes heated exchanges of opinion, but there was always respect despite the difference. Only a couple of times was the group enthusiastically in unison in loving a particular selection, and never was any one book completely dissed. I regret that I have missed attending for an entire year now! I hate it when working full time intrudes upon my fun! When I received the email last week announcing the September book choice and who was hosting, I wandered out of the computer room to the bookcases in the family room. I actually had a dusty paperback copy of Carson McCuller's The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. And I've had it for a long time! I bought it new and it bears the staggering price of one dollar and fifty cents. I remembered little about it and began reading it that evening. I'd forgotten so much about the story it was almost as if I was reading it for the first time. I'm nearly halfway finished with it now, and have discovered that I won't be able to attend this Wednesday's group. I have a work function to attend and regret that once more I will miss the book group meeting. I am going to keep reading the monthly selections, though, and maybe this winter I'll manage to show up for book group. Sort of like doing the homework but never making it to class. A classy class of very smart women complemented by food and wine.