Registration

There I was, on the first day of registration. My paperwork in hand, standing in line, biting my fingernails. When it was my turn at the counter, I watched nervously as the registrar typed in my requests. Finally he looked up at me and said "Alright, you're in." The weight lifted off my shoulders and he handed me my class schedule.

Two weeks before class started I stopped in at the bookstore to purchase my supplies. My welding book only available used. The cover was weathered and the pages were smeared with black finger prints. I smiled, hugged it to my chest and whispered to myself "pre-loved".