A Day Full of Bookish Magic: Three Heartwarming Moments from My First Business Trip
There are days when the universe seems to sprinkle a little extra magic around, and for me, that happened during my first-ever business trip. Within a span of just 12 hours, I experienced three touching, bookish moments that filled my heart with joy and reminded me of the quiet, powerful ways in which stories connect us.
Here’s a glimpse into a day I’ll never forget, a day where books, strangers, and little gestures came together to create something beautiful.
Incident 1: The Little Potterhead at Bangalore Airport
While waiting at the Bengaluru airport, I noticed a little girl, around 7 or 8 years old, completely immersed in the final pages of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. She was so focused, I didn’t want to interrupt, though every part of me wanted to spark up a Potterhead conversation. Still, I held back and returned to my own book, Old Gods’ Time (our book club’s pick this month).
Yet I found myself glancing over at her every now and then, quietly cheering her on, waiting for that moment when she’d finish.
And then it happened.
She shut the book with a loud, satisfied sigh and hugged it close to her heart. That sigh and hug! It was everything. Any reader knows that feeling, the bittersweet mix of joy and loss that comes after finishing a beloved story. I asked how she liked it. She looked up, smiling wide behind big spectacles, and gave me a double thumbs-up.
There’s an indescribable joy in seeing the books that once lit up your childhood now doing the same for the next generation. It reminded me of the book we did as a book club last December The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer.
Then came the part that truly got me.
Without saying a word, she opened her suitcase, gently placed her Harry Potter book inside, treating it with such care and pulled out another one, diving right back in. No phone. No tablet. Just books, some snacks to munch on, and her grandfather quietly sitting beside her, keeping her company.
My heart? Full. 😭♥️📖
Incident 2: A Bookish Love Story in a Bookstore
After wrapping up work for the day, I wandered into the Crossword bookstore inside the office premises, a spot I’d noticed earlier that morning before heading in. I’d made a mental note to visit before leaving both the office and Bengaluru. Luckily, Bengaluru traffic (and a predictably delayed Uber) gifted me more than an hour to spend there.
It was quiet, just me and the bookstore keeper for most of the time and I ended up spending a peaceful time among the shelves, surrounded by books.
That’s when a really good-looking young gay couple walked into the bookstore, almost like they were making a brief but memorable cameo in the story of my memory lane. They began casually but actively browsing the shelves, moving through the space with an easy familiarity. What stood out wasn’t just how well they looked together, but how effortlessly they talked about books. No pretense. No trying to impress each other. Just real, mutual excitement over stories and that gentle, unspoken tenderness that often comes with the early days of dating.
One of them mentioned a book, I think it was a graphic novel or a sci-fi (hard to tell. I didn’t want to stare and be weird about it) and asked the other if he’d read it. When he said no, the first guy instantly swung off his backpack, pulled out his own copy, and handed it over. It felt so genuine, a quiet, unspoken “this means something to me, and I want to share it with you” kind of moment.
It reminded me of something I’d seen a while ago at Writer’s Café in Chennai, a straight couple chatting about books, but the whole thing felt a bit fake, like a first date where you’re trying too hard to impress each other and the genuine love for book was missing.
This moment, though, was different. It felt real.
And quietly witnessing that small, authentic connection in the middle of an otherwise ordinary evening in an unknown city was an unexpected joy in itself.
Incident 3: “I Want Big Books Too!”
Still inside Crossword, now comfortably nestled in a corner after buying my books while my cab took its sweet time. I saw two young women, probably in their early twenties, walk in with their little nephew. I could tell, they felt like the next stars of the day, making a quiet little cameo in my bookstore story narrative.
Almost immediately, the boy turned to one of his aunts and asked her to call his mom to check if he could buy a book. She put the call on speaker, and his mom happily said yes. That yes made me oddly happy, like I was the one about to get free books from my mom.
The women picked out a few titles for themselves and suggested some children’s books for him, something like Goosebumps and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. But the little guy (not more the 3 feet tall) looked at them seriously and said, “I want big real books like yours. I don’t want small ones!” pointing at the fat books.
They took him to the entire children’s section and told him to pick whatever he wanted, all while offering their own suggestions here and there. When one of his aunts suggested fairytales, I’ll admit, I half-expected him to say no and ask for books about cars or superheroes. You know, the so-called “boy-appropriate” stuff. I know it’s a stereotype but it’s the kind we’ve all unconsciously conditioned to anticipate.
To my surprise, there was no resistance. No eye-rolls. He was genuinely curious. He started asking questions, wanting to know more, and really seemed engaged.
His interest wasn’t forced. It was honest. It was his.
And it warmed my heart.
I have no doubt, this boy is going to grow up to be a brilliant, thoughtful human being.
A Soulful Takeaway
These three small, seemingly ordinary moments — all wrapped around books — left a lasting impact on me. It wasn’t just about people reading. It was about connections: between generations, between lovers, between adults and children. All tied together by a shared love for stories.
In the middle of a bustling city, during a business trip that could’ve easily been all work and no soul, the universe handed me these little gems. It felt like a quiet reminder of everything I love about reading and about being human.
So here’s to books, for being more than just paper and ink. For bringing us together in unexpected places, and for quietly shaping moments that stay with us long after the last page is turned. 💛
Happy Reading!
Meenu
