The Plumber And The Librarian
A Love Story
-1954-
As he often did between jobs, Harold was out running errands. He needed to buy some bread and light bulbs and stop at the library to pick up a book for his mother. Harold had dinner with his mother every Thursday evening. She enjoyed going out and looked forward to their time together. Harold usually enjoyed the dinners, unless his mother started grilling him about why he wasn’t married yet. The conversation was almost always the same.
“A man in his thirties should be long married. I was married to your father twelve years by the time I turned thirty. God rest his soul.”
“I know, Ma.”
“Why aren’t you dating? I don’t understand why you won’t let me fix you up with a nice girl.”
“Ma, I’m no good at dating. My tongue freezes. Then I start to sweat. It’s too much pressure.”
“Nonsense. Just be yourself. You’re a good man. You have a steady job. And you’re not unattractive.”
“Ma! Stop.”
Harold arrived at the library, parked his plumber’s van, and went in to get the book his mother had asked for, Live And Let Die by Ian Fleming. She had read Casino Royale the previous year and loved the thrilling adventures of the spy named Bond. Harold located the book using the card…
