The Old Book

The Old Book

“Grandpa! What is this book!” Lisa called as she opened the large volume she had picked up off the shelf.

“Careful there, that’s very old, it’s a bit flimsy. I’ve had it for a long time.”

“Is it OK if I look at it?”

“Sure, just be careful. I don’t think I’ll ever get another one.”

“When did you get this?”

“Many years ago, not sure. I think there’s a date on it...”

“You got it when it was published?”

“Yes...?”

“Wow, you must be so old!”

“Funny, everybody I knew then got one. We didn’t know at the time it was the last one they were going to print. Heck, even if they had told us, we wouldn’t have believed them! It was way back when they printed everything.”

“This looks so funny; the pages of names are almost creepy. But the stuff in the back is a hoot! Listen to this, ‘Rana’s Repair Shop,’ It sounds like a band or something.”

“I remember that place.”

“You remember Rana’s Repair Shop? It was a real place?”

“Of course it was. Rana Jenson’s shop. I used to take things there all the time. What do you think this is anyway?”

“I don’t know... a book of names? Like if you wanted look somebody up or something? I thought the numbers might be code to use on the internet?”

“For?”

“I don’t know, some grown-up thing.”

“Well, you’re half right. The numbers are code to find those people, but not on the internet.”

“Where then?”

“At their house, on their phone... it’s a phone book.”

“Why would they all leave their phones in their houses?”

“Ah... Hey, how about some ice cream...”

“Too many questions?”

“No, just too many memories.”