The conversation paused for a very good reason.
A Name for the Shelf
Jamie wanted a short name.
Mina wanted a name that made people curious.
They had been sitting across from each other for twenty minutes, trying to name the book-sharing shelf their neighbours were building.
Jamie drew a line through one of Mina’s suggestions.
“That won’t fit on the sign.”
“You don’t know how large the sign will be.”
“Mrs Bell said it has to fit between her gate and the flowerpot.”
“Perhaps she could move the flowerpot.”
“She’s already moved it twice.”
Mina looked at Jamie’s list.
“Book Stop sounds like a place where books aren’t allowed to continue.”
“I meant a place where people stop for books.”
“Then why not A Place Where People Stop for Books?”
Jamie counted the words.
“We’re moving the flowerpot again.”
A server came to their table with two menus. Mina glanced at the list of names, then at the menu.
“I think we should make one decision first,” she said.
“The shelf?”
“Lunch.”
The First Bite
They ordered two burgers and returned to their lists.
Mina liked The Curious Chapter. Jamie thought people might expect to find only mysteries.
Jamie suggested Take a Book. Mina pointed out that people could bring books too.
“We need a name that says both,” she said.
“And one that fits on the sign.”
Their burgers arrived before either of them found it.
The warm buns were sprinkled with sesame seeds. Jamie moved the lists aside while Mina unfolded a napkin and placed it beside her plate.
“No more names until we’ve taken the first bite,” Jamie said.
“Agreed.”
They each picked up a burger.
At that moment, Mina noticed how the napkin opened like a little book. She looked at Jamie and raised one finger.
Jamie had just seen the corner of his list beneath the red sauce bottle. A word on it gave him an idea too.
He pointed at Mina.
She pointed back.
Jamie nodded.
Mina nodded.
Neither took a bite.
Two Ideas at Once
Mina pushed the red sauce bottle towards him.
Jamie shook his head and slid the napkin towards her.
She looked at it.
He looked at the sauce.
They put down their burgers.
“I’ve got one,” they said together.
“You first,” Jamie offered.
“No, you.”
They both began again.
Jamie stopped. “You really should go first.”
“Thank you. One More Page.”
He considered it. “That sounds like someone who means to read for five minutes and finishes a whole chapter.”
“That’s why I like it.”
“I thought of The Turning Page.”
Mina repeated it quietly.
“A page turns,” she said, “and the books take turns going home with people.”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
They wrote both names on the napkin, leaving a space between them. Jamie held it up at arm’s length.
“Would they fit between the gate and the flowerpot?” Mina asked.
“On this napkin, yes.”
“That wasn’t quite the question.”
He folded the napkin along its edge to make it narrower.
“Then I’ll need to ask Mrs Bell how wide the sign can be.”
“And perhaps we should ask the others which name they prefer.”
Jamie nodded. Their neighbours had helped gather the books and build the shelf. They might have ideas of their own.
The Burgers Can Wait
Mina moved the napkin away from the sauce bottles.
“We should take this with us.”
“I have the list,” Jamie said.
“The list doesn’t have both names.”
He reached for it. A small red mark had appeared on the corner.
“That’s where the bottle was,” he said.
“Now we’ll remember where you got your idea.”
“I got it from the word underneath.”
“Which word?”
Jamie lifted the paper closer. The mark covered most of it.
“I’ll have to ask the bottle.”
Mina laughed and picked up her burger again.
“Are we still following your rule?”
“No names until the first bite?”
“Yes.”
“We’ve already chosen two.”
“We haven’t taken the first bite.”
Jamie picked up his burger.
“Then perhaps the burgers have waited long enough.”
They finally took a bite. For a moment, neither spoke.
Mina smiled across the table. Jamie reached for his glass, then noticed her looking at the napkin.
“Have you thought of another name?” he asked.
She shook her head and pointed to the sauce bottle.
“You wanted that earlier?”
“No. But I do now.”
He passed it to her. This time, she passed him the napkin before he could ask.
Livora Gracely ♥
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