Page 49 of Home Safe

Come on, there has to be one book that rises to the top.

DANAE

Nope. I could maybe choose a few top favorites from each genre or for a specific mood. But I can’t possibly pick only one book.

ME

Fine then. Favorite flower?

DANAE

I don’t really care for flowers. I’d rather have books. Flowers die. Books are forever.

What hobbies do you have other thanbaseball?

ME

You didn’t really answer either of my questions. So I guess I won’t be telling you that I don’t really have any hobbies outside of baseball.

DANAE

Really? Nothing?

ME

I like people. Meeting and getting to know new people. Establishing connections. Not sure where that classifies on the hobby scale though.

DANAE

I guess we’ll just label it “talking.” Now you have an answer when someone asks what your hobbies are.

ME

Gun to your head, you have to choose a favorite book. What’s your instinctual answer?

DANAE

Fine. The abridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo. I read it for Honors English my sophomore year of high school, and even though I had always been an avid reader, it was the first book I ever paced myself reading. I didn’t want it to end. You might like it!

ME

Is there a movie version?

DANAE

Why don’t you like to read?

ME

That’s too deep of an explanation for a text message.

Why do you hate baseball?

DANAE

That’s too deep of an explanation for a text message.

ME

---