Joan Bauer

Copy Image

My grandma always said that God made libraries so that people didn't have any excuse to be stupid

Copy Image

When the going gets tough, the tough get a librarian

Copy Image

It was February sixth: eight days until Valentine's Day. I was dateless, as usual, deep in the vice grip of unrequited love. It was bad enough not having a boyfriend for New Year's Eve. Now I had to cope with Valentine datelessness, feeling consummate social pressure from every retailer in America who stuck hearts and cupids in their windows by January second to rub it in

Copy Image

Mom put dense cheddar bread into a bag for a man who said this was his wife's favorite - he'd driven all the way from New Jersey to buy it because today was their anniversary. Several women in the store jabbed their husbands on hearing this. I hung my head - Peter Terris wouldn't cross the street to buy me a Twinkie

Copy Image

But then Macon smiled at me. "Just be yourself, Foster. That's the best thing in the world