Covers and such

A cover is just that. It covers something. In my view, a cover covers up what ought to be.

Just got in a little discussion with the wife on book covers. You see, my habit is, when I buy a new book, I trash the cover. Today I got a new book, "A Short History of the United States," by Robert V. Remini, and the first thing I did was take the cover off. I tore off the bio for Remini and placed it inside the book.

The wife comes in. I tell her how good the book seems. She says, "Where is the cover?" I say, "It is in the trash."

This is not a new thing for me. It is not a new argument. I tell here, "It is my book." She like things to look appealing. She pulled the cover from the trash and stashed it so she can put it back on my book when it goes to the book shelve. Maybe by that time it will not matter to me.

My idea is that a cover is a sales tool. It is also, I guess, a book binding protector. But once I have the book, and I know what is inside, I don't need the cover anymore to tell me anything. If I want to know, I go to the book. And, once it gets in the bookcase, there is not a lot of wear the book binding is going to get. I guess I just like a book in its manufactured state.

This reminds me of my granddaddy. I called him Pa. He had a thing against white-walled tires on automobiles. In his time, and in my early years, somebody, probably tire manufacturers, manufactured a white wall that could be added to the black walled (standard of the day) tire. It was like a little disk that one could mount on the tire rim. It would then make the tire a white walled tire.

Pa did not like white walled tires. He said they reminded him of a dirty white shirt, because, in those days, anyway, most people lived out in the country and drove on un-paved graveled dirt roads. White did not stay white very long. So he was not for that. He had rather have a dirty black walled tire than a dirty white walled tire. The former did not show dirt so much.

Later, when the manufactures started making white walled tires, Pa would have them mounted so the white was on the inside. I guess I am a little like my pa.

I was the same way in the days when seat covers were sold to protect the manufactured seats. I never could figure out why anybody would cover up somethings that was designed to look good and match the style of the car. I expect Pa was the same way.

Book covers are OK for displaying and for shipping. Once the book is in my hand, off comes the cover, and we go for what was intended in the first place. Guess I got that from my pa.