so i’ve recently gotten into michael crichton, author of jurassic park, e.r., etc, and having finished state of fear, an absolutely brilliant book, i moved on to the great train robbery.  i flipped open the cover, pulled out the receipt (receipts serve as due date reminders now instead of the traditional stamp, to avoid, as the librarian told me, “repeated-stress fractures in the wrist”).  i flipped to the back of the book to put my now-bookmark away, and i saw what i believe every library book reader secretly hopes to find in a worn copy: a few lines, handwritten, in cursive, sideways.  it was a quote, i believe, although google hasn’t been able to find it.

“the dread of loneliness is keener than the fear of bondage; and so we marry, 

again and again” 

terrifying thought, really.