[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Twenty-two years ago I was visiting my father in Toronto. His bookshelves were always stacked to overflowing, and he was very interested in what I was reading.

I had just finished the 'Screwtape Letters' by C.S. Lewis, had just polished off everything by Lloyd Alexander. He thought a moment.. "Lewis, eh? Well, you're really too old for Narnia and besides, I don't have them. Here, I know -" and he swiped a Ballantine edition of the LotR from the bottom shelf. "See if you like this."

A day and little sleep later, Dad couldn't get more than monosyllablic grunts from me, over breakfast, all that visit I merely surfaced to snack on his very fine brie and sip Canada Dry. It was hard to get me to come to the dinner table, I was still reading on the way as I barely missed tripping over furniture. He laughed, "I think she's hooked!" By the second night he made me put the book down now and join us for dinner my dear. It was torture, the longest dinner ever!

Eventually, I was so slow in returning that borrowed set he gave them to me. They were lost in a flood, but stood me well for the first 14 times I read it. Since then, I've had rotating used bookstore copies that I've given away at various times, much as Dad gave me his. Once again I have to replace my copy of The Two Towers.

-Maril