A Book’s Purpose in Life
“Give thyself willingly and ye shall be a blessing to many”
A Short Story
Written by:
W. J. Jeyaraj
Senior Assistant Librarian
Eastern University, Sri Lanka
The audiobook for this story is available at https://soundcloud.com/user-109316398/a-books-purpose-in-life-audio-book-for-the-short-story-written-by-w-j-jeyaraj
The Story at a glance
This story is written from the perspective of a book that starts its life at an old bookstore and has never been bought by anyone. With people merely turning its pages and leaving it back on its shelf, the book speaks of its sorrows of never having the joy of having someone buy it, take it home and read through it. When suddenly, after a long time, the book is finally bought by a man who takes it to his home. But the book does not last long in the man’s house. It is simply taken to a new home where the book finds its purpose and serves many as it had always dreamt.
This short story takes you through the storyline with the book being the narrator. I hope you share the joys and feel the sorrows that the book experienced, as you go through these pages as well.
The Weather seemed to be very gloomy, wet, and I sit still on the shelf. My heart so heavy and dry in one place. I was so lonely as I watch adults and kids walk pass me. Some lift me up in their hands, turn my pages and then they put me back in place.
I still wonder why I was lying on the same shelf for so long when all my neighboring friends left me, bidding “Farewell” to me. Yet it was still a mystery why no one liked me enough, to take me home with them. I stayed watching the routine days’ atmosphere and growing tired of watching the same old stuff.
I was cleaned, dusted, arranged and placed back in my area. It became so boring to me lying in one place going through the same old stuff.
The clock ticked away as the sun came up, alas! it was a fine bright morning. The day seemed to be so clear, though I, in my mind, laid with so many questions unanswered still.
Wait for a second! There came a gentleman in a grey coat and trousers with a nearly-beat-up canvas shoe on. He walked past the classifieds, he strolled through the Science fictions and he approached much closer to me.
Yes, he lifted me up and turned my pages lightly, then again, turned back to read the summary. He dropped me back in place and went through my friends and then again came right back to me. I was just hoping that today would be the day that I leave this one place that I’ve known my whole life.
Let’s turn a little back in time, to the very beginning of my life. It was very noisy and almost dusty on the very first day that I opened my eyes. I was in a factory — No, it was a printing press — and there I was placed with my friends who all looked like me. We were given a day or two to get to know each other before they boxed us all and shipped us. I don’t know from where I came and I don’t know where I am now. The only thing that I’ve ever known is this old bookshop shelf where I’ve been lying on for what seems like ages. So now you know me, I am a little old book that wishes to see the big bright world outside the doors of this bookshop.
I hoped and I prayed. I yearned that the gentleman would take me with him so that I could see the light for once in my life. But he shrugged his shoulders and went through my pages once again. I squinted so hard to see how he felt about me and his face seemed to be content. I knew this was it, my time has finally arrived — the day that I would bid farewell to my fellows and friends.
So, he took me to the cashier counter paid a sum of cash and tucked me into his large coat pocket. I finally felt cozy and I finally felt warm being away from the open shelves that I’ve lain for so long.
For one minute I lamented though I’ve yearned for this day, I simultaneously gathered my fists and regained myself looking forward to the new life ahead of me. I finally had someone who would go through my pages and read all my sentences, word by word.
I was paid two thousand and two hundred-that was my cost, and now I understood the reason why the other people avoided buying me. Maybe I was too much for their wallet or maybe I had too much for them to comprehend — I’ll never know, but I finally had someone who brought me home. This was the moment I realized my value and worth. I was proud of myself once again- ‘headstrong’, I would call it myself.
I was happily laying in this gentleman’s car and I didn’t know where I was heading to. Finally, we reached the destination, or so I assumed, and then he took me out of his pocket and put me on the table along with his bag. The place seemed like a mini-bookstore in the hallway itself with lots of other books. I was lying there as I looked around my new home and all the other books were really friendly as we had a lovely conversation.
So I queried from one of them as to why they were all not on a bookshelf but rather on the center table itself. But, none of them had an answer to it. When I asked them if anyone read them, they said “not always” in a subdued, sad manner — people who visit them sometimes just had a glance through, and that’s all.
Once again, I started to think “Why was I brought here”? A week later it was revealed to me. The gentleman who bought me had wanted to donate a few books on-behalf of his deceased wife to a school library. I was packed in a huge box along with the others and I was taken to, with around fifty other books, to a leading school in the nearest town. I was received with a big ceremonial welcome in the school assembly where all the students, teachers and the children were gathered. I had never felt more welcome or included and I finally knew that I was right at home, I was right where I longed to be.
Within a couple of hours, we were neatly placed under a titled shelf and we all got separated. I was placed under ‘science fiction’.
I still do not know where I came from, but I finally know where I am now. I was given an identity and a classification number. It felt like I was being renamed and being born again.
I felt I was branded with a new title and I felt like I had a new look. I had more dignity than what I did in the past for I was in a better environment where so many young minds walked in every day and read us, right to the end. On and often students entered into the library. Some referred to me and some even got some additional points and good grades from me. A few days later, knowing how useful I was, a group of students lent me. They looked really rushed as if they were searching for something very specific but didn’t know exactly where it was. The big burly guy snatched me from a girl with ponytails and he started turning my pages wildly. It did hurt, I admit that, but I was secretly hoping he’d actually find what he was looking for quickly. Another girl, rather short in stature was leaning over the guy’s burly shadow as she was trying to note down anything and everything that caught her eyes. It seemed as she was scribbling something, maybe some sketches for I had a few of them on pages 15, 42, 89 and 168 as far as I can remember.
Finally, I overheard them, or rather eves-dropped in on their conversation. Apparently, the five kids who had frantically lent me from the library were randomly grouped together for the annual science fair project that was coming up. Obviously, this “Science-Fair” was a big deal in this school as I could tell by the looks and nervousness of these five little kids who had brought me to the classroom. As the days passed by, I hung around with my new friends, the 5 little kids as they went through my pages and read each sentence carefully. They started to feel like a family as I had been with them for almost a month. I had seen their joys when they find something they’ve been looking for on my pages. At that moment I rejoice with them in glee for I felt a sense of fulfillment giving my life a meaning and a purpose. But as they were nearing the completion of their project and their contraption started to look delightfully new and innovative, I started to lose my looks. My covers looked deranged and my pages were are were all crinkled up for there were many a day that the kids have gone through me frantically.
Tina, one of the little kids from my group, tucked me into her backpack and we all went to the Science Fair at school. I couldn’t see much of the action as I was inside Tina’s backpack and it was all dark but, I could still hear every word clearly. I tuned my hearing and was listening eagerly as they began to announce the winners of the science fair. They were calling out the names of the kids who had won the 3rd and the 2nd places and I was anticipating the 1st. Then the big announcement rolled in as I heard my group’s name being announced as the “Winners of the Science Fair Competition” and I rejoiced with my team. But I was still in Tina’s backpack, all alone in the dark while the rest of my team shared the joy amongst themselves.
As the celebrations ceased, I was hoping they’d all come to me and thank me immensely and we could all share a little more joy over our victory. But when they opened the backpack, at last, I realized that they had brought me straight to the library and simply left without bidding farewell. I, once again, felt so lonely and abandoned for I had experienced the fun of being with kids. But I consoled myself saying that I had served my purpose well and I had risen victorious as the kids gained something from me.
Then one morning, a teacher from the school came in with a few students and I overheard her saying, “This was the book that the other students used for their project at the Science Fair where they won the ‘All-island trophy for the best project’. So, students, I want you all to search for this book and get your work started as soon as possible”. Then they just walked out of the library.
The next day, a large group of students flooded into the library. They all had a piece of paper with them. They seemed to be searching for a book. It was more like they were all searching for one book but couldn’t find it. So, they approached the librarian asking for a specific book by its title. I couldn’t actually hear the title that they were looking for as there were too many students and the “No Talking” rule wasn’t really held up. The librarian took them to the computer and showed them how to browse for a book by its title and get the location of the book from the database. They had finally gotten the location of the book they were searching for and I overheard them searching for the right shelf.
Wait! That was my address that they were looking for, I mean, it was me that they were looking for. So, just like that, I was once again popular as so many kids came in and asked for me. I was always busy traveling from one place to another, with different kids, but I was finally living my dream.
Some handled me carefully and some were just careless and vigorous as they turned my pages harshly. Some were even down-right rude as they marked and underlined on my pages and it hurt so badly. But, whenever it pains, I forget them or I don’t mind it as I was of immense use to all of them and the students achieved a lot of success through me.
So, this was my life in a wonderful place of learning, passing through many hands and hearing all victories derived from me. And I love my humble dwelling on the shelf with a motto-“Give thyself willingly and ye shall be a blessing to many”.
I still remain here if you wish to see me you can reach me through this school library — a place of wonders, innovations, researches, and victories. Good luck!
