Alienated

In waiting for an opportunity to purchase or borrow some new books, I decided to re-read the July novel I had just finished a few weeks prior. I've sped through over half of it thus far on the shift, but the most curious thing happened when I had my nose buried in the tome while seated in the lab. One of the older engineers took it upon himself to ask what I had been reading for lo those past three hours. As I held it up, he called it "crap," because only two types of books exist according to his philosophy - those that can make you money, and those which are crap.

I don't think I've ever been more alienated by something someone said directly to me.

Without reading for the sake of reading, I can't imagine what kind of life I'd be supporting with the riches I'd make from his sort of reading. Money is not the doorway to happiness, but if I know one thing, it's that literature might very well provide a barred window to it.