June Updates: Surprises

As a rule, I don't like surprises. But I received a huge surprise when I visited FCU-Town for a weekend of apartment-hunting (I've decided on a one-bedroom place close to campus).

I spent a day with a friend I made while digging in TLWTMS, who, incidentally, lives in FCU-Town and is the Dig Director's daughter. DD was undergoing medical treatment in 2008, but passed away at the end of that year.

As we chatted, DD's daughter thought out loud: "You know, SW, mom and I have been trying to figure out what to do with dad's library. All of his books are so specialized: second half of the Good Book, digging, North Country. And neither mom nor I have any use for them."

And then, as she looked at me, her face lit up: "SW, do you want dad's books?"

And just like that, I, SW, a specialist in second half of the Good Book, digging, and North Country, found myself bestowed with the perfect library.

There are standard reference books that I haven't been able to afford. Books that I've wanted to buy, but are out of print. Even decades of several scholarly journals to which DD had subscribed.

Every time I think about the collection of books waiting for me in FCU-Town, I get choked up. Not simply because I love books. But because DD's daughter and widow didn't want to sell DD's library; they wanted to give it to me.

They just wanted the books to end up with someone who could use them.

You know, if all surprises are this wonderful, maybe I should rethink my opinion of them...