Garth Dutton

Library – A Short Story

Here is a romantic short story with a nice twist at the end of it called “Library”, I hope you like it.

Library
© Garth Dutton, 2000

Jim was busily working on the Internet at the local library, when a soft female voice said to him, “Hi! The girl behind the counter tells me you’re a poet, too.”

“Yes! “ he replied. “I do write some.” He finished the sentence he was writing and glanced up. A woman dressed in T-shirt, jeans and sandals was standing there. He thought her blonde hair looked a bit untidy, but then he remembered it was a warm, but very windy spring day outside.

“Do you write yourself?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “Though I haven’t had many poems published yet. Since my divorce last year, I’ve decided to become a writer. I’m starting with poetry, but I soon hope to be writing short stories and articles as well. I also have a vague idea for a novel.”

At this point, Jim became aware of the passing of time. He’d had more incoming emails than expected today, and quite a few of them needed a reply. His hour on the computer was already half gone. But she didn’t move, and seemed to want to talk on…

“My name is Janet, by the way,” she said.

“I’m Jim,” he replied. “I’m divorced and working at becoming a writer, too. I also write songs. I have a microphone and amplifier set-up and I mostly play around the scene at folk clubs, barbeques and parties. Some are paying jobs, some aren’t, but I have to get known somehow. I do a mixture of ‘covers’ and my own material.”

“I’ve never tried writing a song,” said Janet. “I think it would be difficult, as I don’t play guitar at all. I was taught piano as a child, but that was all classical stuff and written notes.”

“Maybe you should try singing one of your own poems unaccompanied, as a beginning,” suggested Jim. “That’s how I started writing my own songs. I really like the Canadian songwriter, Joni Mitchell, as her songs sound just as great sung or recited. A pity about all the unusual tunings she uses on guitar, though. I do a few of her songs unaccompanied, as I only know standard tuning.”

He was painfully aware that his time on the computer was rapidly slipping away. There was no way now that he would get through all his remaining email replies.

Janet noticed his impatience, : Sorry,” she said, sadly. “I’m interrupting you, aren’t I?  And just when you’re very busy.”

A thought came to him that the girl behind the counter had been doing some matchmaking. He smiled at the thought, and Janet thought he was smiling at her. She smiled back. “Whoops!” he said silently to himself.

A good idea occurred to him. “I’m playing a few songs at a friend’s birthday party on Friday evening. It’s just an informal backyard show. Would you like to come along?”

“Certainly!” she replied. “And can I bring my children as well?”

Tags: author, garth dutton, Prose, short story, Writing

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