The Story Of The Helmet-Wearing, Philosophy-Reading Woman In The Library.

I came to the library today out of desperation to get my cluttered and messy mind out of my cluttered and messy house. Grand plans to write wonderful pieces and incredible poetry all quickly turn to shit. I don't know why, it just happens sometimes. Even though the boys are back at school after the holidays and I put spaghetti bolognaise in the slow cooker so I don't have to worry about dinner. I'm just not feeling it.

Just as I was about to push past that (because it is possible - you can push past your blocks and get the words out anyway) something entirely unexpected and wonderful happened.

This woman wearing a sea-green knitted jumper plonked her shit down opposite me and I was so transfixed I started documenting it on twitter. I love her. I bet she has a messy house too.

Woman across from me in the library is wearing a bike helmet, nibbling on chocolate, and reading a book on philosophy. I love her.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

Helmet-reading philosophy woman now loudly chortling.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

Helmet-wearing philosophy reading woman DOUBLED OVER with laughter, and crying. Now I'm laughing. And crying because she made me laugh.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

This helmet-wearing philosophy reading woman is teaching the library to just chill the fuck out.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

She is rustling her peppermint chocolate wrapper so loudly, an audible "thwack" can be heard every time she snaps a piece off.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

She is reading The Philosophers Dog by Raimond Gaita. My guess is, she highly recommends it.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

Still wearing her $14 scratched bike helmet, the woman and I lock eyes mid-laugh. I say "I'm sorry!" (For spying.) "It must be a good book."
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

Unable to talk she just nods and snaps more chocolate off. Puts her Blundstones on the table. I wish people like her were in parliament.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

The straps of her helmet irritate, but she merely adjusts them and does not take the helmet off. She is a real person. A real real person.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

@edenland Perhaps there's a secret club of chocolate eating, bike helmet wearing library goers having much more fun than the rest of us.
— Alex Asher Sears (@alexandrawrote) July 15, 2014

Helmet-wearing philosophy reading woman in the library now finished her chocolate. Scrunched the wrapper into a ball. She's still laughing.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

Curled up in her chair, helmet-wearing philosophy woman is licking her fingertips to extract errant bits of chocolate from the wrapperball.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

Now I have a loud chip-eating bearded guy behind me in the library. Not so endearing.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

In conclusion, the joy of the helmet-wearing philosophy reading woman in the library lifted me up today. I thank her so much. The end.
— edenland (@edenland) July 15, 2014

In one tweet I accidentally wrote helmet-reading instead of helmet wearing but that's ok. I can live with that. It's other mistakes, other regrets at the moment that I'm having so much trouble living with.

But then in she swanned, not a worry in the world, eating chocolate and not taking her helmet off the ENTIRE time. She knew it was still on her head, she just adjusted the straps. I can't talk to her, cannot initiate any conversation because I don't want to spoil it.

She's still here, reading. I type furiously because soon I have to leave to pick Rocco up from school.

UPDATE: She just rested the book on the arm of her chair and is now taking a nap. Still with the helmet. I have never loved a stranger so much in all my life.