the stairways shelter you

[timeripple]

Classes officially started today – those in every department except Classics, it seems. I spent the day lollygagging around avoiding the insidiously creeping problem of my laundry, sitting innocently in the bottom of my closet. I went out after lunch, and stared enviously at other students hurrying to and fro with Blackwells bags in their hands and harried expressions on their faces. I fear their consternation will be nothing to mine tomorrow when I finally enter a bookshop with intent, book-lists in hand, standing still one moment to savor my purpose before striding over to the classics shelf – which will be empty. Or worse yet, there will be two shelves: one full of shiny new books and a new-papery smell, and one empty and marked “Used – 20% Off”.