Book Project

“That can’t be what I think it is!” I exclaimed as I moved past the handcuffs and strange toys in my grandparent’s basement.   

“Grandma, grandpa, you gotta come to look at this!” I shouted as loud as I could.  

The basement door quickly swung upon as my grandparents came down to see what all the commotion was about.  

“Look at this.” I insisted, gesturing towards what was in the box.  

“Kid, you weren't supposed to see that,” my grandad said, “Whatever you do, please don’t tell your mother!”  

My grandma stood there in agreement with him, seemingly embarrassed about the entire situation.  

“What are you guys talking about? Look at this book!” I exclaimed once more. The book was cloaked with dust, yet its title glowed James and the Giant Peach.  

“Oh, how wonderful.” My grandmother expressed. “I used to read that book to your mother when she was still a baby.”  

I noticed my grandfather pick up the rest of the contents in the box and quickly return them to the storage closet. I wonder why he was in such a rush to put them back.  

“That’s great, grandma, but I also did a book project on this book. Remember how I couldn’t find the old copy, so we went to the public library to check one out?” I asked while pointing towards the stamp showing where the book had previously been.   

“Hey kid, remember, you didn’t see anything.” My grandfather remarked after coming back from putting the boxes away.  

“Ow!” My grandfather shouted upon my grandma slightly elbowing him.   

“I don’t get what you’re trying to say. Didn’t you do that project like three years ago, Albert?” My grandma asked.  

“Exactly.” I agreed. “I remember interviewing everyone in the family about the importance of that book. But I must’ve been so caught up in the finished product that I forgot to return the book!”  

“I don’t think there’s a point in returning the book now, sweetie.” My grandma said. Her small frame leaned against the wall for support.   

“Grandma, I have to turn this in. This will be a bad mark on my reputation, otherwise. I will never be able to live this down. This will be like when grandpa tried to dance at last year’s family reunion and had to go to the hospital for a hip replacement.” I insisted.   

“Watch your mouth, Al.” Grandpa laughed. “I would’ve been able to do the Turkey Trot if it wasn’t for the table getting in the way.”  

“There wasn’t a table, Tom. You tripped over your feet and slammed your hip into the ground.” My grandma said while rolling her eyes.  

“Have you been taking your medication because that’s not what ha-” My grandfather began.  

“Grandma and Grandad, please, this is serious,” I said, cutting my grandfather off. “I need you guys to help me return this book to where it rightfully belongs.”  

“Albert, you didn’t get what I meant,” Grandma said back. “It was a massive thing a couple years ago. Basically, all the files in that library's database that determined if a book was checked out or not were corrupted and deleted. They think it was a hacker that had overdue books that caused it. Either way, there is no proof that you ever checked out that book.”  

My grandma and grandad began to turn around, ready to head back upstairs while I stood there in shock. “This can’t be how my life story goes. I can’t let myself morally do this.” I thought to myself.  

“Wait, can you two at least drive me to the library. I want to see the evidence for myself.” I begged.  

“Fine.” They both said at once, a part of them both knew I would continue pestering them until they gave in.  

20 minutes later  

“Grandad, you’re going the wrong way.” I snarled, baring my teeth.  

“Sometimes, I think there’s something wrong with you.” My grandma said under her breath in response to my facial expression.  

“I just wanted to stop and get gas first.” My grandfather stated as the car pulled up to a gas station in the complete opposite direction of the library. “Hang tight, this will just be a moment.”  

I sat there for what felt like forever, while my grandfather filled up the gas.  

“Wait a second.” I thought to myself. The meter on the gasoline machine wasn't going up. And I didn’t see grandpa put his card in the machine to make a payment either. Plus, he’s just standing there with his hands in his pocket. There’s no way he’s filling up the tank!  

“Grandpa, what are you doing!” I shouted out the car window.  

My grandpa looked surprised before saying back, “I was just finishing up filling the tank. Boy did it take longer than expected today.”  

“Oh, okay,” I said back. Maybe, I hadn’t noticed him filling the car up before I glanced over. I’m still not sure why he was just standing there. What was he even looking at? “C’mon grandpa, I’d like to return this book as soon as possible!”  

The car got back on the road and was once more traveling in the opposite direction of the library.  

“How about we get some ice cream.” My grandma said to me.  

“No.” I snarled again showing my teeth. “I want to return this book!”  

I suddenly noticed they had been doing their best to avoid going to the library at all.   

“There’s something you guys aren’t telling me.” I squinted my eyes in anger before I started beating my chest.  

“Look, Al. It's just th-” My grandpa began.  

“Please stop making those noises, Albert.” My grandma said, cutting grandpa off.  

“Look, Al.” Grandpa began again. “It’s just that that book means a lot to your grandma and me. It’d be better if I pulled the car over and told you more.”  

My grandpa pulled the car over to an empty parking lot.  

“Do you remember my response to when you asked how significant James and the Giant Peach was to me?” Grandpa asked.  

“You said that it was more significant that I was doing a project on its value to our family than anything else. You also went into detail about how the book was a key part of our family’s tradition,” I replied.  

“Yes, but at the end of the questionnaire, I also said that if there was a way to keep this book I would. It was the next best thing to the previous one we had lost.” My grandpa told.  

“I still don’t get it, grandpa. Why this book?” I questioned. “You parked us in the parking lot of Barnes and Nobles. Can’t you just buy the same copy there?”  

“No, sweetie, it’s not that simple.” My grandma joined in. “This one is important because it’s the one you made memories with. Nothing else competes with that. You’re growing up so fast, Albert, and we need this book as part of a memory in seeing you grow up.”  

“I think you guys just have a problem with turning in books,” I said back.  

“Kid, we’re not going to the library. We paid the fees of the book last year, so you won’t have to worry about it ruining your reputation as a hallway monitor,” Grandpa said to me. 

Relief flooded my face, but I couldn't let the book remain unreturned. That’s not how I roll. If they weren’t going to let me return it, so be it! I was going to the place myself.  

“Rawr, rawr,” I screamed out while unbuckling myself.  

My grandma appeared shocked, unprepared for such a response.  

“What in tarnation are you doing?” My grandpa said appalled.  

Ignoring him, I opened the back door and quickly began to run in the direction of the community library with the book in hand.   

25 minutes later  

“It’s here it’s here.” I sneered at the librarian.  

She looked scared before replying, “Can you say that again?”  

In a more normal tone, I said, “I, the noble Peach, have come to return the book at long last.”  

“Sir, I do not know who you are. Why aren’t you wearing any shoes?” The librarian asked me.  

“That's a good question.” I thought to myself. “How could I forget to put on shoes. No wonder I was getting so many weird looks while running here. I assumed it was because I’m wearing a suit in the middle of a July summer day. Boy was I wrong.”  

“Sir why are you just standing there. Aren’t you going to answer my question?” The librarian asked again.  

“Oh, of course,” I said snapping back to reality. “I forget to put on shoes this morning but that’s beside the point. Can you please take this book off my hands? I’m the hallway monitor at my school, and this would be detrimental to my reputation.   

Sill weirded out, the librarian responded with, “Sure, just give me your name and I’ll sort out the rest.”  

“Albert Peach,” I stated.  

“Oh gosh, it’s been three years since you checked this out!” The librarian exclaimed. “But not a problem.” She entered some numbers into the database and my record was clean.  

“Wow.” I thought to myself as I realized my grandma had lied about the whole database thing. I wonder if grandpa had really filled up any gas. And I still don’t know what he was staring at.  

“So, everything's cleared up, now?” I asked.  

“Yep, your slate is perfectly suited for your hallway monitor reputation.” The librarian said back.  

“Stop, stop this at once!” My grandpa ran in shouting.  

I hadn’t seen him move that fast since the hip replacement surgery. He must’ve done stretching and had coffee because he wasn’t that energized an hour ago.  

“Will you shut up?” an elderly woman responded to my grandfather. “I’m trying to read this book.”  

“Don’t talk to my husband like that!” My grandmother came in and shouted at the woman.  

“Oh geez.” I thought as I slipped out the entrance and into my grandparents' car-it would be a while before this scene ended.   

They sure could be strange sometimes, but at least I had gotten the book returned.