a drabble about my muse from the point of view of...someone who admires my muse.
They did not know his name; he wore no name-tag. Then again, they supposed that librarians typically did not. Still, they wished beyond wishing to know just this small piece of information about him, and every day they returned to check out a new book, they rolled over the question in their mind. Mouthed it to themselves the whole walk over, forgot it as soon as they saw him, and cursed themselves when they held a new book and not a name to doodle in their diary.
It was silly, but he was charming. He had approached them while reading, an act usually forbidden, but managed to do so in a way that was more endearing than annoying. They had spent hours talking together, and it was the loveliest conversation they’d had in a long while. Unfortunately, they’d left without a name, and never again did they have the nerve to strike up a conversation. Until today.
“Hello,” they said, as usual. But when he looked up, they saw the pain in his eyes - as if something horrible had happened. The care they had grown to have for him overtook any fear they might have had, and when they asked, “are you alright?”
He said: “Not quite. But,” and at this, he brightened, “it won’t last long.”
“That’s an optimistic outlook. I can’t say I’m thinking like that when I’m not doing well,”
He smiled, “Let’s just say it comes with years of practice. I’m Charlie, by the way. I don’t think I’ve ever said.”
Charlie. What a perfect name for him.