Visit to the Hamilton Library

In the late afternoon, after an early dinner at five, I arrived at the Hamilton Library to explore this unique place full of stories and knowledge. Taking the elevator up to the fifth floor, I realized that the research area requires readers to secure their bags and phones at the metal locker. Finally reliving the ache of carrying my heavy backpack, I sank into the closest chair I could find. I sat there for the next thirty minutes watching people come and go. They are all searching for the the right recourses, reading and spacing out. I cannot help but wonder what topics they are researching. There was this one particular girl who seems to be the most concentrated one. For the entire thirty minutes, she had buried herself into that one book, which seems to have captured her soul. She flipped and read from pages to pages without looking up or looking at anywhere else. I saw the side of her face, the tiredness in her eyes, the eye bags hidden underneath the light makeup, she must have sat there for the longest time reading book after book. I wonder if she is conducting a research out of her own curiosity or for a class. I wonder where she came from, why does she look so tiresome.  Most importantly, I felt the need to give her a pat on the shoulder and offer some encouraging words.

Silently watching for the next minutes, I continue to notice every moment the readers move and pounder on their stories in their life that led up to this point of conducting a research. As I was about to head back toward the elevator, I silently wish them luck and silently exist as I had sneaked in.