Mystery Boxes and Good Deeds

The Blind Date Book Box went out again, first thing Saturday morning. As I find more things, I wrap and add them to the box. Yesterday, I put out some of the crafting books I turned up, and a cookbook. I also added a two games: some 90’s trivia game, and Risk.

One night last week, my new neighbor told me she thought it was the best idea ever. However, she didn’t know if she could take one or not. “Oh, by all means take one or two!” I said. I’d thought it was obvious, but I guess not.

I was checking my mail yesterday and she was taking pictures of the box. “I took a couple!” she said. “It’s such a great idea, especially right now.” They seem like a nice family, super friendly, with a cute pup. I’m not an expert on judging kids’ ages, but I’d put their daughter at about 4 or 5. She was helping her dad paint a birdhouse.

“Um… here’s a thought,” I said “I have the entire Harry Potter series inside. Would you like it for her?”

“Really?”

“Gimme a sec, I’ll get it.” Mom was very happy, daughter shrieked a “THANK YOU FOR THE BOOKS!” when prompted, and went back to painting the birdhouse.

Good deed of the day: done.

The set had been in a box, with a bunch of other book series we’ve collected over the years. I’d put out Game of Thrones, and Clan of the Cave Bear; if I’d had it, I’d have left Outlander in there as well. Some sadistic part of me wanted to put out the fifth book from the Outlander series. That’s how I started the series, after picking it up in a clearance bin as reading material for a flight out of Calgary.

Later, I realized I probably should have talked to Shawshank first, since Harry Potter was his set, starting with a copy of Philosopher’s Stone he brought down with him from Canada when we got married.

Whoops.

I brought it up during last night’s call, since we were talking about books, and apologized in advance if it was something he’d wanted to keep.

“No, no, don’t worry about it!” he replied. “I’m glad it went to someone who’s going to read it with their kid instead of sitting on a shelf in Savers or something.”