Page 6 of Authentically, Izzy
Heart-to-Heart
Date: February20
Brodie the Hobbit,
Faramir is still as valiant as ever, but we’ve decided to take a step back from our relationship to ensure our mutual affection isn’t due to the natural camaraderie of suffering joint loss and trauma after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Samwise is one of my favorite characters too. No greater friend, which is why my dog shares my favorite hobbit’s name. There are definite perks to being a hobbit. No one judges you if you eat heartily, get lost in a good book, or enjoy solitude with an excellent cup of tea. There’s a lot to be said for a hobbit’s life.
Éowyn-for-now
PS: Though adventures are highly suspicious, I prefer the literary variety, so perhaps I won’t be too suspicious a friend for a hobbit.
From: Izzy Edgewood
To: Penelope Edgewood
Date: February21
Subject: Lord of the Rings clarification
Penelope,
Please tell me you’re teasing about Faramir. I just can’t believe you don’t know who he is. I lived with you from the time I was twelve until I was nineteen andstillyou don’t know who Faramir is? I’m going to choose to believe you’re joking.
And I may not be an expert at romantic relationships, but I feel asking Brodie the Hobbit about his marital status on our very first communication might send the wrong message. Besides, I don’t expect him to respond to me. Good men are usually snatched up too quickly, or that’s what Josie says. And, as we all know, I’ve had my fair share of not-so-good men, so I’m not the best judge. Anyway, he likely found my profile picture intriguing and made a spontaneous comment. Either that, or he’s Josie in disguise and I plan to make her reveal herself.
Speaking of Josie, the date she’s set up for me is with an audiologist named Steve. I know nothing else about him, except that he’s allergic to peanuts and prefers to meet at the restaurant instead of picking me up at my apartment.
When is the next time you’ll be home from school? I’d like to pick your brain about the online classes program at your college. I’ve felt so unsettled for a while now, you know? Where do I fit? I’m not even sure. What does a woman who adores books, tolerates small groups of people, and has a magical love for bringingtogether the right people and the right books do with her life? There’s not really a job description for “book pusher,” and even if there was, it sounds like a profession where one might get arrested. If stepping through magical, fictional wardrobes was an occupation, I’d likely volunteer, just to have a chance to see the Professor’s library. And then there’s my recurring daydream of owning a manor house on a cliff by the sea, but since I don’t fly and rarely travel, the ceramic replica of one I have sitting on my bookshelf will have to do. I’ve placed it right besideJane Eyre,The Secret Garden, andDracula,among a few others of my favorites that feature grand and mysterious houses.
Speaking of daydreams, I think it’s past time for me to think about my future besides just working at the library—though it’s still one of my favorite places because I can travel to hundreds of worlds without leaving my chair. Plus, Aunt Louisa makes the best coffee and it’s served all day long.
What are men to coffee and books!
Love,
Izzy
PS: Do you remember who Samwise is?
PPS: I’ve researched opening a bookshop, but that requires math.
PPPS: Oh, and apparently Steve has a very fine nose.
***
Heart-to-Heart
Date: February21
Éowyn-for-now,
I’m glad to hear you’re taking things carefully with Faramir since, as you stated, you both have suffered such trauma. Fighting orcs and Nazgûl is one thing, but suffering under such a father as Faramir’s is quite another, poor man. Perhaps it would be wise to test the waters with someone who’s had a healthier family dynamic?
Samwise is a great example of friendship and the perfect name for a dog. My dog, Gandalf, passed away last year, and for a little while I had hopes he’d “rise from the dead” as his namesake had. I don’t think I’ve ever had such an excellent dog. Perhaps my new puppy, Argos, will live up to his predecessor, but for now he seems more interested in destroying every pair of shoes I own and unrolling the toilet paper at the speed of light.
Yes, a hobbit’s life is a superior one, made all the better by the camaraderie of a good friend, an excellent pipe, and an occasional adventure now and again, literary variety or not.
