Kuprin

One frustration of library work is not knowing what happened to the request placed for an interloan; to the student who came to the library often, studying for the MCAT, LSAT or any other exam. Some very few times, I see a patron again, and we talk: there is a high school student whom I helped with the Lincoln letters project two years ago, who returned this past school year to study, and is friendly; we talk, and I ask about his school progress.

Last Friday a woman came in, and asked about getting a story by Alexander Kuprin. That caught my attention immediately: only one person has ever asked for his writing, and it took me a few moments to realize it was her. Last year she'd asked for the story A clump of Lilacs; this year she asked for The holy lie.