Memory Lane Friday - First Grade

This week's Memory Lane Friday theme is "First Grade."

I don't have a specific memory for something that happened in class when I was in first grade. I do, however, remember an incident that happened when I was visiting my grandparents just after I finished first grade.

I was in El Paso for a week or two visiting my grandparents. My grandmother, Oma, knowing I always enjoyed a good book, took me to the El Paso Public Library (I don't remember which branch) to pick out some books we could read together during my visit. 

I specifically remember picking out a book about dinosaurs, and was amazed by all these prehistoric creatures (like T-Rex, of course, diplodocus, triceratops). I loved this book. I poured over the photos, probably making Oma read it with me a million times.

But then the time came: the books were due back at the library. So Oma and I got in the car and headed back to the library. I was in the back, holding my stack of precious books, not exactly understanding what was going to happen.

When we got to the library, there was an external book return slot. Oma and I went to it, and she asked me to hand her the books and she stuck them in there.

I was surprised and upset. I wanted to keep the dinosaur book; besides, I thought it was mine! I hadn't quite understood that it was the library where we borrowed books, and not a book store, where we bought and kept them.

She promised that the next time I visited her, we'd go back to the library and check out that book again.

I remembered this scene the first time I took Livie to the library and then had to return a book she fell in love with - she acted the same way!

Please come back next week when we have another "No Theme" week.

Memory Lane Friday is hosted weekly by Lisa at her blog called Two Bears Farm and the Three Cubs. Please click on the button below to read Lisa's post, as well as other contributors' posts: