February 1, 2010. Mexico. Reading.

He says he doesn't ever read a book. Can this be true? It seems impossible to me, that a perfectly normal person does not read and has never read for pleasure. He is not s stupid person, but for some reason or other, he has chosen to go through life without the joy of reading. His name is John and he and Pam live in Iowa. For thirty years he worked for the John Deere company and retired eight years ago. He worked his way up in the company and ended up as a manager of one of the production for one of their engines, with an acre of factory under his jurisdiction and fifty men to run all the machines. He is not stupid. They live in that city in Iowa with a French name, which if I spell out I will be sure to mess up, which means I will be chastised by my brother. Both John and Pam worked at the John Deere factory and both retired at the same time eight years ago. Pam does consulting with them both in their home town and also in the mid west.

I must say, I was impressed with myself in that I did not say a word in response. My brain was ready to ask a dozen questions when he told me that he did not read. Actually, I was astonished and speechless. I had just spent three days with President Polk (1844 to 1848) and lived through all the anxieties of that time, which makes our present situation put into perspective, but to live in the present all the time seems difficult. The joy I obtain in my life from reading is invaluable, and to choose not to read is interesting and short-sighted. I of course assume that there must be a physical reason why anyone could choose not to read books. I will try to find out how this has happened for John. I for one can not imagine not reading.