“I guarantee you, I’ll show you something you’ll never see in L.A.” Bobbi said smiling and nudging Tina as they both walked down the street. Tina was merely stirring her ice cream not really in the mood to enjoy herself.

“I doubt it.” she said rolling her eyes at her playful new friend.

“O.k. maybe you’ve seen it, but I know you’ve never seen it like this.” she said holding Tina’s arm and stopping her progress. Bobbi looked up at where they were, she smiled and dragged Tina inside the small shop. Inside the shop was filled to the ceiling with books. By the antique smell of it you could tell there were books here that were very old and certainly out of print. Bobbi dragged Tina past bins practically overflowing with books to a quiet little area filled with children sitting on an old carpet. Their full attention was devoted to a small woman no taller than Tina’s shoulder, with her hair tied back into a neat bun. Her body was petite and voice matched her body perfectly, her big framed glasses kept falling from her face and she the picture perfect librarian.

“What are we doing in here?” Tina asked in a hushed tone so as not to disturb the reading.

Bobbi looked at her and replied “We’re learning about “The Giving Tree“, silly.” Bobbi stated as a matter of fact. She punctuated her point by playfully bopping Tina’s nose causing the blonde to laugh out loud. Many of the children and the narrator turned around at the interruption, to which Tina and Bobbi apologized in a hushed tone and proceeded to an area less obtrusive. Tina was wondering what they were doing there, why out of all the beautiful shops they passed had Bobbi dragged her into this one. She looked over at Bobbi who was lost in the reading. She was completely concentrated on the woman’s animated voices and big expressive eyes as she read and ohh’d and ahh’d along with the children.

When it was over and the children were telling the woman what they each thought the book meant to them and the woman smiled after each answer. Bobbi took Tina aside and spoke softly to her, “O.k. look at the woman with the children?” Tina nodded her head. “Don’t say anything just watch her. Watch how her body and whole demeanor becomes something completely different.”