Ordinary People by Judith Guest

Author:Judith Guest
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: Classics, Contemporary, Psychology
ISBN: 9781101042168
Publisher: Penguin Books
Published: 1976-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Standing in an aisle in the library, he can feel the eyes on him. He turns his head to look. A pretty, dark-haired woman. Staring at him. Guiltily, he looks away. Should he know her? Someone’s mother, maybe? One of his friends? No, too young. Well dressed, nice figure, nice legs. He takes another look, and she is still watching him, her head tilted in an attitude of appraisal.

He moves to the next aisle, as embarrassment and anger work within him, giving way then, to the familiar cloak of shame that settles about his shoulders. A freak. A one-man side show, carrying the mysterious label; off-brand. What is this about him?

Still. People shouldn’t do that. Stick somebody like a bug on the head of a pin and stare like that. And he shouldn’t do it to himself, either. It is disgusting. Also, boring.

He takes down a book and blindly reads until the words begin grouping together, forming small patterns of reason, of sense. The feeling of joy exists, he knows it now. It must exist outside the sterile medium of his bedroom, too. It has to be wider than the dimensions of his window, and never mind all the people who pigeonhole other people with their cracks, their amused, superior smiles.

He checks out his books. The librarian slips his plastic credit card into the machine. Even the library is run like a department store now. The whole world is one, big Department Store, one big Computer, but never mind. They still might need some people. So ask! The librarian is small and wispy. Her washed-out blue eyes will not pierce or injure him. Yet he stumbles over the speech he has been preparing all week. “… interested in working here … wondered about … possibilities of employment …?” She smiles. Oh, yes, they do take on part-time help occasionally. However, they are fully staffed right now, but if he would like to fill out an application? Yes, he would like to. She gets him a form, and he begins to fill it out at the counter, but she waves him away. That’s all right, just bring it with you sometime when you come.

So much for 4. A Job. Ah Jarrett attaboy just like you to give it all up after one try how about the volunteer work how about the placement office all the things you were going to do? And how about lacks? 1. Experience. 2. Financial Need. 3. Confidence. 4. You Name It. He shifts his books to fit under his arm, zipping his jacket against the wind Face it kiddo things are not gonna be that easy so grow up.

A blue Karmann Ghia is parked in the lot, beside his car. Bent over, half-in and half-out of it, is the woman from the library stacks. He recognizes the legs, the blue skirt that matches her car. The open car door is blocking his path. He stands, waiting for her, his face wooden. He will stare her down this time.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.