The content in this letter is not fully original. One or two sentences have been picked from the content I read. Interesting facts about me as a Readers. Am sure many readers can relate to this one. The world is divided into two kinds of people, READERS and everybody else. For obvious reasons you know where we are best placed. Especially for you, it's not just a habit, it's the way to be......I am sure you agree too. Now back in life, I have always loved reading. Ever since a kid read a lot of comics......Archies, Tintin, Phantom, Twinkle, Jataka tales etc.......just loved them all. Then, it was what the school library offered, Agasta Christie, Treasure Island, Famous Five....... wow. Never had waited for Friday so eagerly as then, the day to change the library book. Then was a stupid change to magazines like Photo Romance, Kiss to Mills and Boons, at a very young age.......BIGAD JAAYEGEE........ no bigad gayee hai used to be the comments from my uncle aunt and a few elders. They continued by saying...... CHASMA LAG JAYEGA........ KON SHADDI KAREGA........ jees too much. My godmother......My ayta was the supplier. She got them in abundance from a second hand vendor sitting outside churchgate station and would exchange them everytime it was possible. And used to take me there personally in summer and Diwali vacation. This phase was awesome. Frankly ,to read about love scenes, when curiosities were at its peak was a wonderful feeling and a secret pleasure too. I used to cover books so the intimate covers didn't give more ideas to the ill speakers and parents didn't actually know there was more to just a love story there . I would be court marshalled if they knew what crap I read. Covering had its own advantages rather than hiding the cover page, my dad thought I cared so much for my books. Must have read more than 1000 of this, and every book with the same enthusiasm, all the M&B's were the same thou. Dreamt about something similar happening to me, falling in love with the characters the writers portrayed. Morizo vichi and Paul and some Mc cartini were amongst the favourite. That age, they were to die for. Dreamt of making love to them. How foolish!!! is the thought that comes to my mind now. The shift to quality writers was quiet an expensive matter then. From a 10 rs. M&B to rs. 80 for a Daniel Steele was not a easy one. Still used to beg, borrow, steal......yes trust me even steal to possess one of these. The only book store then in kolhapur which had foreign authors book SARDESAI, didn't offer any discounts. But I remember he called everytime there was a new release. The owner introduced me to a few good authors Ian rynd, Sidney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer......etc. Now I was turning into a serious reader, it had become so important similar to next best to breathing, part of routine. I was getting into reading rather than a stupid craving for some filthy to read. And only could wish no new release unless I had the money to buy it. Don't really know why I always felt like this....... wanted to own the book that I wanted to read. Felt borrowing and returning was not an option for me. But realised very soon, couldn't just buy all of them. So borrowed from friends, made pacts with sisters.......if I read the book last, I could keep it......and there was this aunt who had a attic full of books.......but KHADOOS she never liked to share and kept her books out of sight. Never allowed me to touch the attic. She would just give me when I visited jaysingpur. Used to spend nights finishing the book, sobbing, laughing and enjoying the world the writer painted. Everyone around me had started to think I am slowly turning delirious, for obvious reasons. I never let go off the book. Often forgot to eat, sleep because what I was reading used to be just so UNPUTDOWNABLE. Read almost anything and everything I found. Slowly and steadily was adding to my collection too......as and when I was financially loaded. Started loving the fact that even when I was alone , when the rest of the world was having fun, indulging into fun activities, I was happy with myself and reading. Reading gave me joy. Being with myself gave me joy. What a joy that feeling used to be, that everything around me ceases to exists. Now everyone had started calling me PADAKU and everyone had a lot of misconceptions about me as the ultimate dukan for all the answers. My friends, sisters , brothers thought I had answers for all the questions. They thought there was nothing that i wouldn't knew. The fav dialogue was, " tu bata na, tu toh kitna padti hai......" But the truth was...... I didn't know all the answers, I was learning too, exploring as much as the others did. A time then came everyone gave up on me, sometimes for outings, most of the times for parties........they knew I was married to books. The only thing that made my friends happy was.......they had no difficulty in buying gifts for me. No surprises here, they were all books. Most of the time I shamelessly told them which one to gift me and used to ask for the most expensive ones.......to save on my money and buy more. Cheap behaviour I know, just to get a book. The best part was I never got disappointed with any books even if they were not interesting . There were time I felt , kaha sirrr paktu while reading some books.......but then would find some interesting fact about the book that had amused me........if there was nothing I atleast liked the cover page, due to which I had choosen the book in the first place. Funny na. I have never judged a book by its cover page but people did judge me by the books I read. I remember an incident here. Was reading Irvine Wallace, ' THE SECOND LADY' which had a sexy lady in a bikini on it and my cousin told my uncle I am into reading porn books. Wow!!! It didn't bother me thou. Covering a book always helped. Again an incident about this book.......there was a movie based on this book. Don't recollect the name.....rajkumar and Hema malini starred. OMG I thought, I rather stick to my reading and portray my characters through my imagination. It's more interesting and widens the imagination....... no boundaries. Always thought no movie adaption can ever be as good as a book, my opinion ofcourse. To prove me wrong my cousin borrowed my book and no surprises here......never returned it......should have know. I wonder if he even intended to read it. For him it was just a book. Months later when I asked for the book, hated him had mishandled, dogears, and had even noted a phone no. on it. Only fact which made me happy was I atleast got it back. Many of my friends relatives didn't even bother to return the borrowed book. I just need to put this here: Once read a quote which said something like this: One who lends a book is a fool, And one who expects the book to be returned is an even bigger fool. Realised this quiet late, had already lost many books.,This was the end of lending. Lesson learnt. Now the book shelf says, ' Not for sale nor on rent. ' I was totally fine if people ask my age, my salary, my secrets......but do not ask for my books. Obsession, possessiveness...... whatever!!!!! Life went on, busy with too many responsibility, reading now was secondary.......didn't have time to even take care of the precious possession I had of around 300 odd books, out of which few lent, and most of them destroyed by termites and the rest which I had left in jaysingpur were now a part of my witch aunt . Sadden by the fact, stopped buying too. Now even years after this happened , met you and after seeing your library......... tempted again. Motivated by the fact that you still live your passion and wanted me to again get on to reading. Thanks for all the books you gift me everytime we meet or just send them over. Have enjoyed most of the books you gifted. Yet to read a few. Secondly, my experience to KITAB KHANNA has been one of the most beautiful one. An experience never to forget, cherished and loved, not because it was a place full of books but it is a place which smells two of my favourite passions and aromas.......one of them, the woody interiors and second nothing is more refreshing than the smell of a new book. I wish there was a perfume with the fragrance of a book......would wear it all the time. Thank you for the experience and looking forward to many more visits. Now that I am back to reading, ready to explore New authors, Indian authors and explore the world of reading all over again. Again life seems to be on track, where everything from a boarding pass, railway ticket, movie ticket, paper rag becomes a book mark. Reading becomes a major part of free time; a pleasure on vacations;......getting grief for reading on vacations thou.......Often being labelled as anti social and sometimes rude and best friend during waiting time. Now on waiting time, it reminds me of another stupidity I do as a reader. Last time I was in the waiting room in Kolkata ....... there was another person in the room who had a interesting looking book in his hand........the basic instinct of a reader where I was no different, no matter how interesting book you have in your hand, they go out of their way to find what the other guy was reading. I know you'll find this stupid but human nature........what you overhear is always more interesting than what you hear.........similarly it's more interesting what the person on the next table is reading. The curiosity is so much so that aajkal Facebook request bhi aati hai toh, I invariably end up checking the list of books they have read. Finally now getting to the most modern gadget......... the KINDLE. It's amazing as a next generation technology........doesn't light any fire with me thou. I like my books hard bound and printed. As we spoke in the morning, just thought of adding this retirement plan: I wish to own a book cum coffee shop on a busy streets, where all I can do is read. Coffee shop adds to the third favourite aroma. WHAT A LIFE IT WOULD BE?