The Remarkable Appearance of N

A friend mentioned finding a new, for her, book by Mary Robison. I immediately read Marilynne Robinson and headed to the stacks.

Actually I read her blog while hunched over books—in the library. Studying, contemplating and drinking from my half hidden water bottle nestled behind the No Drinking, No Eating sign.The man at the table behind me was nursing a Starbucks coffee in full view of anyone walking by our aerie.

I found the R's and found the Robinsons, but no book fitting the description and title. Then it occurred to me —I had added an N to the author's last name. I probably ignored the first name or possibly thought that Marilynne decided to shorted her name to Mary.

It's an obvious error of choice. I chose to hope that Robinson had written another book. I went back to the stacks determined to make amends—and removed two books by Mary Robison and took them back to the table. Having made an egregious error I hoped to alter the outcome by checking out two of Mary's books.

As for the errant N, the N that appeared from my subconscious, I tucked it away in one of my books.