Chapter-4

2016, Dec, 37^th Street, Bagan Book House, Yangon

LIN was wondering whether there were any other foreign poets who composed about verses on Burma apart from C. J Richards. Currently, to his knowledge, he could not find any other.

He thought that he should ask someone who had got much knowledge of Books on Burma or who had read as many books as he could.

Lin knew that there was a National Library, and other reliable libraries in Yangon, especially one on the second floor of BTS (Burma Translation Society) which is now known as Sar Pay Beik Man building.

But, he preferred searching old books on Pansodan Road and 37^th Street in which several old book vendor shops and best book collector shops lie.

Now, he was directing his steps towards Bagan Book House which lies in 37^th Street. In his mind, Lin thought that he could find the other books of C. J Richards there.

Lin read the book list of the author in the poetry book, and found out that the poetry book was the second book of the author so that he might have a chance to find other books of the authors from the book shop.

After reading the poetry book, Lin wanted to find more books of the author. He found that the author’s sentiment towards local people was quite different from other foreign authors who wrote about Burma.

Especially George Orwell wrote a novel set in Burma of that time. The novel was so well-known that almost every visitor enjoyed reading it. But, Lin found some of the points in the novel disagreeing, mainly concerned with the portrayal of Burmese characters in the novel.

This author C. J Richards showed much humanity and humor in his writings, and Lin thought that the author introduced Burma/Myanmar to outside world. So he thought that he should find out more facts about the author who would be like a mediator between east and west.

As everyone knew Rangoon was suffered Japanese bombing in WWII, and the evacuation before the Japanese intrusion happened in 1942. The books might be lost in the war too. If some of them survived, it was very lucky to have them right now after 70 years later.

He felt that he was very lucky to find the old book of Burma verses. He wondered how come this little book survived and still carried out its duties of educating and entertaining its reader, past and present.

After reading the book, Lin felt that the book had got some literary merits and he was wondering why this good poet fell into oblivion. This question was nagging him all the time after reading the book.

Many questions appeared in his thoughts and Lin was trying to answer them as much as he could, but not much successful. Lin knew that he needed to find out about the history and the author’s life if he wanted to have the answers for his questions.

By this time, he got into the book shop and met the cheerful and amiable owner of Bagan Book Shop. After exchanging a few introductory words, the book shop owner let Lin to browse all the books stacking on the book shelves. Lin saw many interesting books ranging from history, politics, poetry, postcards, etc.

Lin was really wonderful of the capacity of collecting so many books in this book shop. When Lin looked at the owner, he noticed that the owner was a nice fellow.

Lin started the conversation after browsing some of the book shelves.

“Do you have any other books written by this author?”

Lin showed the poetry book to the owner who looked at the book which was shown by Lin. He scanned it with his eyes, and said, “C. J Richards? Just wait. I think I have one. But it’s in the pamphlet series.”

Not so long, the owner took out a rather thin booklet titled, “Burman: An Appreciation”. Seeing the book, Lin felt very happy so that he forgot to ask the price of the book to the book shop owner.

Lin turned over the pages of the book, and read the first paragraph from the book. During the time, another possible book buyer entered the book shop, and Lin heard the greetings of the book buyer to the book shop owner.

Lin let them exchange the greetings, and he focused on reading some more paragraphs from the book. The more he read the passages, the more he sensed the goodwill of the author towards the natives.

The man who entered the book shop stopped by Lin and reached out for the thick book on the second row of the book shelf, but after a few minutes, the man put it back on the shelf.

That time, Lin heard the man asking, “Do you have the book by Fielding Hall?” Lin noticed that the man was in his mid forty, wearing thick rimmed glasses, with curly hair. The man wore a short sleeve blue shirt and a pair of jean pants.

The man was also carrying a thick book under one’s arm. It seemed like that the man was a bookworm.

Upon it, the book shop owner readily replied, “Yes, I have. You mean you want “Soul of the People” by Fielding Hall?

The man said it was. The book shop owner went back to the attic where he kept most of his books.

When he came back, he emerged with holding the book in hand and he handed it to the man who asked for the book. The man asked him the price of it. And the book shop owner said it would be eight thousand kyats.

The man said nothing, looking at the condition of the book and paid the cash and left the book shop.

When this man left, Lin started the conversation with the book shop owner. “Do you have another one of this?”

The book shop owner replied, “No. It’s the only one I have.” “If you want, I can sell it with 2000 kyats.”

Lin thought that it was fair, and he took out 2 notes of 1000kyats and paid them to the book shop owner who left with smiles.

When Lin hit the road, he unexpectedly ran into his best friend Oo who was all the time funny –making man. But, Oo was like Lin because Oo was also very much interested in reading books.

“Ah, Lin!” exclaimed Oo, “I don’t expect you to see you here.” Oo continued, “What brings you here, Lin. I thought that you will be at home.”

Lin looked at Oo’s square face with short curly hair cut and Oo wore a blue striped shirt, and a Kachin pattern longyi.

Oo was really surprised to see Lin at this place. Lin answered, “Yes, Oo. I should be at home. But I wanted to look for a book so that I thought I should come to Bagan book shop. That’s why I came here.”

“Look at what I got here,” said Lin happily. Lin held out the book he bought from Bagan Book House.

Oo looked at it, and found the book whose title was “Burman: An Appreciation”. Oo asked Lin that why he bought this book.

Lin explained Oo that he firstly bought the author’s poetry book and this time his non-fiction work. He continued that he liked to collect this author’s books, and he now owned two of his.

After that, Oo invited Lin to have some tea if Lin had got some spare time. Lin thought that he could not deny his best friend offer and they both went to the tea shop which lied in the street.

During their conversation, Oo told Lin that he had got a room in downtown. It was owned by Oo’s elder brother who was working abroad. During his absence, his brother let him to stay at the place.

Oo invited Lin, “Lin, if you want to spend your time or read any books, you can come down to my apartment which lies on 40^th Street, Middle Block. It’s quite spacious, and there is no one to disturb us.”

Lin thought that Oo was a good friend who wanted to share his apartment with his friends. Lin knew that these days hospitality was diminished because untrustworthiness is common among men.

Lin promised Oo that when he had a time, he would come down to Oo’s apartment and read a book there. He ascertained that he would call him before he came down to Oo’s place.