the price of The Help

I have been paying the price for this book all day. A friend recommended this book to me in the Fall. I went online to the Henderson library and put it on hold. I was number 48 in line. Three months later I finally received a notice that it was in and waiting for me. Of course I went and picked it up, but of course it would finally come at the most inconvenient time, right in the heart of the auction.

I snuck in a few pages each day as I lay by Savvy waiting for her to fall asleep for her afternoon nap. I really enjoy my afternoon routine. Every day after lunch I put Flint in bed and get Colt busy doing something and then I say, "O.k. Sav time for a nap." and she always says, "I don't want a nap." I follow this with, "I know you don't want to, but you have to so pick. Do you want to sleep on your bed or Josie's bed?" She always chooses Josie's bed. I lay down by her with whatever book she has chosen--Peter Rabbit is the current choice lately--read it to her and then I say, "o.k, now mommy needs to read her book." Then I get to lie down on her bed and she plays on Josie's bed while I read. I can usually only last 10 minutes max. before I doze off to the distant clanging noises of Savvy changing the clothes on her dolls and rearranging the tea party she has arranged on top of Josie's bed. I usually nap for about 15 min. and usually wake up to a little girl sleeping in the middle of her "party". It works for me. I wish I didn't wait to discover the absolute necessity of my afternoon recharge time until my 5th child, but I really savor this 30 min. stretch of my day.

I did not get very far in the book even though I fell in love with the book in by the first two pages (that was all I got in the first day before I fell asleep. . . because I was so tired not because it wasn't good.) The next thing I knew I had an email telling me my books were due back in the library in three days. I didn't panic. I calmly went to the website and so expectantly hit the renew all button to extend my time with my new best friend. The computer said I couldn't. It said it was reserved. It said someone else was waiting for it. Then I panicked. I hate reading good books fast, but I read every spare moment that I could find. It wasn't enough. Monday night I was feeling so sad because I hadn't finished it yet, not that I couldn't have sped through doing speed reading. I could have if it was anything less than what it was. The language was so rich and the story line so engaging I couldn't bare skipping over even a single word. I wanted every word of that book weighed and measured, treasured and savored. I said to my husband, "I think I am going to have to buy that book. I don't think I can wait another 3 months for a copy to be available to me again." He replied with the most novel question, "Will it cost more to pay the late fee than to buy it?" Why hadn't I thought about that? Yes, return it late. I hate late fees and avoid them at all costs--even so much that it wasn't even a possible solution to my problem without my husband pointing it out. I had already planned to go to the library on Thursday for story time for Colt and Savanna and so that became my new deadline--truth is I knew it would be another week if I didn't do it then and that would mean another week of late fees. Plus I really felt like I was being rude to the person next in line waiting for the book. Needless to say, I stayed up until 12:45 a.m. reading last night and then got up at 6:00 a.m. to finish. Yes it was so good that I even gave up my morning run to make sure that I could finish it. As I read what I just typed I'm left questioning, "Was it that good? or am I that frugal?" (Because my morning exercise is sacred and it was supposed to be my 4:30 a.m. 10 mile run.) Either way I loved, loved, loved this book.

I am now in mourning that it has ended, and is no longer in my possession. I miss it. I just want to reread little pieces. I am not typically one who rereads books very often. I will reread this one at some point I'm sure, but it will never be the same. It will never be like the first time. Skeeter and Minnie and Aibeleen and Mae Mobly and Hilly and Elizabeth Leefolt are swirling through my brain. They are real. I want to know more. I want it to continue. I am always sad when I finish a good book. It is like saying goodbye to a good friend moving far away. I will think about every day for awhile and then slowly it will only be a couple times a week and then less and less, but still every time I do it will always be with affection, sweet memories, and comfort, like hot homemade chocolate chip cookies dunked in milk.

I have been tired all day because I sacrificed sleep to read that book. I have decided that this time my frugality has crossed a line to stupidity. I should have just went and bought the book or rudely kept it longer and slowly savored every last word. Afterall the price of sleep is. . . .priceless.