A friend and I meet at Barnes and Noble most weeks, one evening, and read each others’ writings. Oh, we do talk about the families, her nephew, my grandson, what’s been going on, that sort of thing. But, our reason for meeting is the writing part of our lives.

We do have our preferences, there at Barnes and Noble.

The good chairs are easy chairs, with cushions in the seats and upholstered, top to bottom and front to back. Really comfortable. At our Barnes & Noble, the previous good chairs have recently been replaced with newer, better, good chairs.

Some folks, me and my friend, for example, use Barnes and Noble as a library. People can look up things, and read magazines, and work their way, I suppose, though a lengthy novel, by coming and sitting for an hour or so of reading each week.

When we go, whoever arrives first rushes to the good chair area and tries to snag two good chairs. She or I (usually her) sits and puts a purse or sweater or jacket on the adjoining  chair to reserve it for the other. Sometimes, I will arrive and find her in one chair, and the other two chairs occupied. So, I pull over one of those study area chairs, and we read and chat happily, but I’m always ready to jump into a good chair, just in case one comes available.

A few weeks ago, when I arrived, my friend was sitting at one of the study tables, in one of those wooden chairs. I sat down in the chair across from her and she explained.

“He’s saving the other two chairs,” she said. Indeed, one man was in a good chair, all relaxed and settled deep into the seat cushion. The other two chairs had books placed squarely in the seats. We understood the message; we’d used it ourselves: Someone’s coming. Don’t sit here.

So, we spent the evening in the study chairs, which, truly, aren’t all that uncomfortable.

Two good chairs, reserved . . .

Shortly before closing time, I glanced over to the good chairs. The reader was gone, his chair empty. The other two chairs were also empty, except for the books sitting conspicuously on the comfortable cushions in their seats. Just as they had been for the past two hours.

“Do you suppose?” I asked. “Two people were in those chairs, reading, and when they were ready to go, they just left their books in the chairs? Instead of putting the books back, or at least on the table, so other customers/readers would know the chairs were available.” We’d been had.

Then we began to wonder if there were some sort of camera or recording device, to see if anyone would move the books and sit down to read. Was the man reading in on the hoax, just waiting for someone to sit down in a reserved chair, or at least ask him about the empty chairs?

We’ll never know, I suppose, unless there’s some sort of expose on the news, or an article in the paper. Or, maybe we’re just overthinking the whole thing.