Dear Friend,
Here’s how to read in Maine.
On first afternoon of your stay in adorable waterfront cottage, find lawn chair in shed.
Drag it to the perfect spot for reading, pausing now and then to appreciate the view and the warmth of the sun .
Spend considerable time trying to figure out how to open lawn chair.
Return to cottage to choose from the stack of books you have lugged from home.
Deposit self and book in chair. Luxuriate in the moment.
Sun is now in eyes, get up and move chair a bit.
Discover sneakers are thoroughly wet and remove.
Begin to read happily.
Single ant runs lightly over toes. Ignore.
Ignore whole family of ants returning via toe route to little hill conveniently located next to chair.
Get up to move chair once more
Discover view is now of shed. Ignore.
Open book again to discover loss of book mark. Spend minutes finding place.
Other insects discover you, crawl up pants leg, easily negotiate waistband entry point.
Get up, carefully replacing book mark.
Go inside adorable cottage to find bug spray. Spray self copiously.
Answer queries such as “How’s it going?” in short staccato sentences.
Return to perfect outdoor reading spot to see that sap has fallen on library book.
Take inside to clean and maybe get a snack. Some triscuits and lemonade.
Notice bottle of Jack Daniels. Add nice amount to lemonade.
Return to perfect chair in perfect location.
Read for a total of ten minutes before dozing .
Wake up to find sun has found you and you are burned.
Go inside and turn on TV which hasn’t survived recent nationwide digitalization.
Decide to send postcards to friends.
Wish you were here.
Love, Paula
