Redlayn

I must confess – there is a certain guilty pleasure of mine that I don't get to indulge in much, but whenever I do, it is a moment of great joy in this otherwise very mundane life.

It is not often that I visit the city center to do some shopping, but when it happens, I always visit a bookstore. At first I tell myself it's just to browse and see what's new, maybe write some titles down on a piece paper to check them out later – but inevitably, I always leave with a book (or two). A truly bittersweet moment – I already have a big enough backlog for reading as-is, and now I just added more on top of it. There are times when I finish these titles I buy quite fast, right after buying them, but sometimes they sit on my bookshelf for months before I touch them again. This is a tale of such a visit to the bookstore that ended with a book getting a new home.

 My watch was ticking in intervals – the hand that counts seconds was still, and then it jumped forward by 5 seconds. The thought of it being a problem of the battery didn't struck me – I thought the watchmaker would need to repair some broken mechanism. When I arrived at his shop and he casually remarked it just needs a battery change, I felt a little bit silly. He handed me a paper slip and told me: come back in 20 minutes. And so, finding myself with some time that I needed to pass, I immediately knew how and where I want to spend it – browsing books at the bookstore. Before I changed jobs, I walked through a different part of Our Town, where I often passed by a bookstore and everyday was a challenge not to spend some afternoon time in it after work. I used to visit it at least 2 times a week – but held myself back on buying new titles all the time. There was one book that I always passed by during those afternoons, but never bought – and it's name? Kafka on the shore. And here it was, grabbing my attention once more. This time around, I picked it up. I flipped it to the backside to read the synopsis. Abstract – that was the first word that came into mind when I finished reading it. It told me something about the plot, but it felt like it actually didn't tell me anything at all. I was puzzled. Flabbergasted, even! The books I've read before always had a conventional synopsis.

“Are you curious about that book?” I heard coming from my right side. Startled, I looked at the person who said the question – a chubby, short brunette with blue eyes. She wore blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a red jacket. Is it weird I remember her so vividly? Perhaps, this encounter with 'Kafka on the shore' left such a deep impression in me that everything leading up to it's discovery is etched into my brain. Anyhow, I replied.

“Yes, the synopsis is quite perplexing, and it left me curious as to what kind of literary work this book is.”

She gave a little smile. Not to me, no, but to her memory of the book, I'm sure. She picked up a copy, ran her thumb quickly through the closed pages, then looked at me.

“Do you read fantasy fiction?”

“Ah, yes, I do – I grew up with it and it kind of stuck with me. It's nice to imagine something that doesn't exist in our reality, and doesn't have roots in our modern technology.”

“Well, you see, for me, the new, modern fantasy releases are, in essence, just a copy and paste. The character names change, the name of the world changes, but the way the plot progresses and what happens in it does not change. That's how it feels to me. And I was, and still am, tired of it. That's why I looked for a change of pace. So I picked up 'Kafka on the shore' on a whim. And it changed everything. I also read the synopsis and was left with nothing but shock – and curiosity. And it was refreshing. The main character, Kafka, this 15 years old boy, the way he's written – it makes you feel at times as if he's not 15. And then, in another chapter, there are scenes where you realize, he indeed is just a 15-year old. The genre of the book is magical realism and surrealism. And oh boy, is it surreal! The whole thing feels like a fever dream – and that's what makes it refreshing and exciting for those of us that never really experienced such genres. Reading the synopsis before the book leaves you puzzled, and reading it after finishing the book makes you realize it told you the plain truth of what happened, even if does not explain how. So, in short, I wholeheartedly recommend the book, is all. I don't want to spoil anything if you do decide to read it. Please, do give it a chance. Sorry for taking your time with the long monologue. It's just... the book is very special to me.”

This girl spoke about the book with such fervor that all I could do was quietly stand there, just looking at her and listening. It was rather heartwarming to hear the passion of a reader talking about a precious book. I cracked a smile at her and replied. “Don't worry about it, I appreciate your little 'review'. I will definitely give it a try.” With that, we said our goodbyes and parted ways. That day, the one to accompany me to pick up my watch was the book – Kafka on the shore. And I do not regret indulging in my guilty pleasure on that day.

Written by Red.