Wednesday, August 5, 2015

PREDICTABLE

"Buti nakakahanap ka pa ng time magbasa," I said to a female student, scanning two books for release. "Exams niyo na, a."

She smiled, explaining that she reads several pages here and there during breaks from reviewing.

I already encountered her a few times at the Circulation counter, both on the 1st and 2nd floors of the Main Library. She often borrowed novels and fiction titles, and not because it was required by her professor. As a librarian, you tend to remember students like that, especially these days when many teens only have trending topics, funny videos, and hugot lines in the head.

I eventually asked if she read Wattpad books, as these publications targeted students her age. She made a funny facial expression, which I interpreted as her way of saying "Not really."

"Talaga?" I replied, amused. I assumed teenagers loved Wattpad books like "She's Dating the Gangster", "Diary ng Panget", "Talk Back and You're Dead", and "The Bet" (all have been made into movies; "The Bet" recently adapted into "Just the Way You Are" starring Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano).

She explained that these books' endings were "predictable." I laughed.

"Predictable" meant already knowing what's going to happen next. "Predictable" meant no matter the author, the number of chapters, the main characters, or even the situation, the outcome of the story will always be the same. "Predictable" meant reaching a point where you already know how an author thinks and don't find it interesting anymore.

And it especially meant she had already read enough books to know what "predictable" is.

I printed out her receipt, reminding her to return the books after three days. I was confident that it wasn't the last time I'd encounter her at the Circulation desk. People who've 'leveled up' on reading always return for more. As a librarian, I am sure of it.

In fact, you could even say it's predictable.