I'm sure there must be a name for this phobia.

So it was years before I realized that my husband had a strange phobia. I'm sure that there is a name for this, since there seems to be a name for even the rarest of phobias. I don't think his fear of the tainted "bathroom book" is that rare though. I think I recall a certain Seinfeld episode where George can't get rid of a book because it has been flagged as a "bathroom book."

At first I thought he was crazy. I mean, think about it, he won't go to the library to check out books. Used bookstores are out of the question. Bookmooch? No way! That pretty much leaves him with buying his books new at the bookstore. I don't mind browsing at a bookstore, but that can get expensive real fast.

As for me, I'm kind of a germaphobe anyway (just ask my kids), so this is kind of a sticky subject . I can see his point of view (you can't tell me that there isn't some sort of reading material in your bathroom). I could probably join him in rejecting all used books, but I guess I have just decided to turn a blind eye. I don't want to think about it, so in ignoring it, I've put the fear behind me. I still use the library and appreciate any hand-me-down books that come my way.


As an aside, I just remembered an experience that I had when I was in the sixth grade (Mom if you're reading I'm sure you'll remember this, I think you set it up for me). I lived in a small town and went to the little library often. I needed to complete a requirement for a church achievement program that I was working on. I think that I needed to do some sort of service. So, one Saturday, I was dropped off at the library to spend an hour or two cleaning the covers of books in the children's library. It was amazing to see how much dirt and scum accumulates on the covers of library books. I don't know if my "service" did any good, but it is fun remembering, and funny in light of this whole subject.