The Love Lock Series: The Wonderland Chapter
One of my favorite bookstores is Fables and Fancies in Sierra Madre. Not only is the space whimsical, like stepping into a fairytale (there is quite literally a giant paper tree in the middle of the store), but it also carries a variety of titles, both new and used. I can walk in looking for a memoir, find an aged copy, then discover a romance novel I’ve always wanted to read, stumble upon captivating poetry collections I had never heard of before, and right before I’m about to make my purchase a gardening book catches my eye. Love is just like that. It’s all an all encompassing discovery of how complex a human can be.
An anonymous friend of mine shared her story in response to my question:
Once at a book store, I took a call from a family member who I was expecting the following day. I answered excitedly, proudly told them I’d practiced a breakfast recipe I wanted them to try when they arrived. But I found out they’d be arriving later. It was said in earnest and light heartedly and so I knew I shouldn’t take it personally. But earlier that day, another family member said the same thing. They’d be coming down but they wouldn’t make it for a meal at my little apartment. There was nothing wrong with this at face value, of course. They all had long drives and it was my choice to move out to LA, to be further away. But I was incredibly homesick and was longing for a chance to eat with them around the table, to be close. I didn’t realize the extent of the longing until it was too late. Suddenly, tears stung my eyes and I was welling up in the middle of a tiny bookstore. The cute guy I was with was making conversation with the two cashiers who we both knew. I sat down at a tiny bench in the corner of the store busying myself with the “recommended books” box. On a little piece of paper, I sprawled a title that I thought the bookstore should order. Then, my dear friend sat beside me. He could tell I was upset and he held my hand. I can’t really explain it but the way he looked at me touched me so deeply. It was a look so full of love and kindness that radiated in his brown eyes. Before this, we’d done light hangs full of Connect 4 and park walks, but this was different. It was me and him now and I couldn’t believe how safe I felt with him expressing my home sickness. Over and over, I said, “It’s stupid. Feeling this way.” And he kept saying, “No, it’s not,” with a loving warmth that held me. I smiled at him and we made our way out of the bookstore and continued our walk. It was that little moment where I found myself falling in love and then...even more so when we broke the “fart seal” and farted in front of each other for the first time.
The first time I read that, the ending made me laugh and I didn’t quite understand why my friend included it, but I quickly realized that love is about nuance. The sentimental combined with humor. Seriousness and playfulness. Knowing when someone needs a hand to be held and when the thing they need most is laughter. Love is stepping into someone’s story and creating a wonderland.
