I always listen to audio books when I drive – also when I’m making dinner, sorting laundry or performing other tasks that take place on automatic pilot.
Usually, I have two books going at once – one to read and a different one to listen to.
But yesterday I pulled the plug – okay I pulled my phone charger out of the car jack plug – on the audiobook. This contemporary novel wasn’t borrowed from the library, but one I’d paid for, which made abandoning it extra difficult. Besides, I finish books. It’s just what one does, whether you are enjoying it or not.
But when I found myself checking to see how much longer I’d be listening to this novel – with its horribly annoying, self-centered and selfish protagonist and its ridiculous plot – I saw that there were five hours remaining.
And it finally dawned on me that I didn’t have to finish the damn thing. I could find far happier ways to use those five hours.
Because I’m compulsive – and also because my memory is not as reliable as it once was – I keep a list of books I want to read. I dutifully put a checkmark next to books I have finished.
As of today, I now have “DNF” written next to one. DNF = Did Not Finish. I suspect they’ll be more to come.
Hopefully the book police are probably not going to come looking for me.
