The Regular at the Used Bookstore

Marisol visits the used bookstore on the corner every Sunday afternoon. She likes the smell of old paper and the quiet shelves. A man always sits in the same green chair.

Marisol mengunjungi toko buku bekas di sudut jalan setiap Minggu sore. Ia menyukai bau kertas tua dan rak-rak yang sunyi. Seorang pria selalu duduk di kursi hijau yang sama.

He reads there every Sunday too, always at the same time. Marisol never says anything to him. She just nods and picks a book nearby.

Ia juga membaca di sana setiap hari Minggu, selalu pada jam yang sama. Marisol tidak pernah berkata apa-apa kepadanya. Ia hanya mengangguk dan memilih buku di dekat situ.

One Sunday, the green chair is empty when Marisol arrives. She feels a small, strange disappointment.

Pada suatu hari Minggu, kursi hijau itu kosong ketika Marisol tiba. Ia merasakan kekecewaan kecil yang aneh.

She looks around the store. She finds him near the poetry section instead. He holds a thick book with a torn cover. Marisol walks over to see the title.

Ia melihat sekeliling toko. Ia menemukan pria itu di dekat bagian puisi. Pria itu memegang sebuah buku tebal dengan sampul sobek. Marisol berjalan mendekat untuk melihat judulnya.

"Sorry," she says. "I don't mean to bother you." "What book is that?" she asks.

"Maaf," katanya. "Saya tidak bermaksud mengganggu Anda." "Itu buku apa?" tanyanya.

The man looks up, surprised but friendly. "It's an old book about sailing ships," he says. "My grandfather gave it to me."

Pria itu mengangkat wajah, terkejut tetapi ramah. "Ini buku lama tentang kapal layar," katanya. "Kakek saya yang memberikannya."

"That sounds interesting," Marisol says. "I always see you in that green chair." The man smiles.

"Kedengarannya menarik," kata Marisol. "Saya selalu melihat Anda di kursi hijau itu." Pria itu tersenyum.

"I'm Xander," he says. "And yes, that chair is my favorite spot."

"Saya Xander," katanya. "Dan ya, kursi itu tempat favorit saya."

"I'm Marisol," she says. "I sit two shelves over, by the maps." They both laugh, surprised they never talked before.

"Saya Marisol," katanya. "Saya duduk dua rak dari sini, dekat peta-peta." Mereka berdua tertawa, heran karena belum pernah mengobrol sebelumnya.

"Maybe we can stop being strangers," Xander says. "I like that idea," Marisol says.

"Mungkin kita bisa berhenti menjadi orang asing," kata Xander. "Saya suka gagasan itu," kata Marisol.

They sit down together near the poetry section. Marisol asks about the sailing book, and Xander begins to explain.

Mereka duduk bersama di dekat bagian puisi. Marisol bertanya tentang buku kapal layar itu, dan Xander mulai menjelaskan.