House Of Leaves or Why Now I Always Listen To John When He Says It's Too Scary
mcsnee posted that he's just started reading House of Leaves. This is one of my all time favorite books, and the thought of someone getting to experience it for the first time gets me all sorts of excited. I know it's silly, but I just think everyone should read this book.
Anyway, thinking about the book made me think of the night I started reading it.
John had loaned me his copy after reading and loving the hell out of it. He raved about it so much that I could hardly wait to jump in and start reading, but he warned me that it was not a book I should read while home alone. Problem was, Karl was out of town for work, and wasn't going to be home for a few days. There was no way that I could wait for him to return before starting the book. So instead of listening to my friend, and heeding his warnings, I wantonly started reading.
And it was good. So very very good.
I started reading around 7pm. Next thing I knew it was 4am. I was so tired I couldn't read for a second more, but now I was too scared to go to bed. I considered driving over to Dolly and John's and sleeping on their couch, but then I realized that there was no way I was going to be able go out side to the car, and even if I did manage that, the walk from my car to their back door was just too much.
So there I was. Alone, overly tired, freaked way the hell out and unable to do anything that would allow me to get some sleep. Finally I decided that maybe if I got a drink it would steady my nerves and I would feel better. To get to my kitchen I have to walk through my dining room which is like a giant fish bowl. It has a big bay window facing the street with almost floor to ceiling windows.
Just as I walked into the room, out of the corner of my eye I see someone/something large move past the window. In my already high strung state of mind I reacted to what was surely the monster coming to eat me. I screamed. So loudly that the windows rang around me. So loudly that even though my house is sound proofed to cut down on the noise from the airport the thing outside heard me clear as a bell.
The thing, which turned out to be my now very startled paper boy, jumped up into the air and fell backward into a snow bank.
I felt so badly for scaring him, and so incredibly stupid for being an adult who's still afraid of monsters in the dark. I ran outside to help him up, and explained why I'd screamed.
He was very nice about it and even said that he was going to go buy the book when the stores opened. It was all extremely embarrassing.
Needless to say, when John said that The Ring was too scary for me, I listened.
Anyway, thinking about the book made me think of the night I started reading it.
John had loaned me his copy after reading and loving the hell out of it. He raved about it so much that I could hardly wait to jump in and start reading, but he warned me that it was not a book I should read while home alone. Problem was, Karl was out of town for work, and wasn't going to be home for a few days. There was no way that I could wait for him to return before starting the book. So instead of listening to my friend, and heeding his warnings, I wantonly started reading.
And it was good. So very very good.
I started reading around 7pm. Next thing I knew it was 4am. I was so tired I couldn't read for a second more, but now I was too scared to go to bed. I considered driving over to Dolly and John's and sleeping on their couch, but then I realized that there was no way I was going to be able go out side to the car, and even if I did manage that, the walk from my car to their back door was just too much.
So there I was. Alone, overly tired, freaked way the hell out and unable to do anything that would allow me to get some sleep. Finally I decided that maybe if I got a drink it would steady my nerves and I would feel better. To get to my kitchen I have to walk through my dining room which is like a giant fish bowl. It has a big bay window facing the street with almost floor to ceiling windows.
Just as I walked into the room, out of the corner of my eye I see someone/something large move past the window. In my already high strung state of mind I reacted to what was surely the monster coming to eat me. I screamed. So loudly that the windows rang around me. So loudly that even though my house is sound proofed to cut down on the noise from the airport the thing outside heard me clear as a bell.
The thing, which turned out to be my now very startled paper boy, jumped up into the air and fell backward into a snow bank.
I felt so badly for scaring him, and so incredibly stupid for being an adult who's still afraid of monsters in the dark. I ran outside to help him up, and explained why I'd screamed.
He was very nice about it and even said that he was going to go buy the book when the stores opened. It was all extremely embarrassing.
Needless to say, when John said that The Ring was too scary for me, I listened.