It wouldn't be a terrible fate; everybody loves horses. But I think someday print books will have gone the
way of horses, once not too too long ago so essential in so many ways, now a curiosity, a
luxury, a pleasure to see but few of us ever really get near them or
need them. Someday there will be people among us who own books
(horses), who read books (ride horses) regularly. And, like horse people today, book people will be seen as sort of interesting for that
slightly exotic bit of culture they experience with their books
(horses) and all their book-(horse)-friends. Some of us will envy them
their special interest and the activity of reading (riding) and caring for their
books (horses) and that extra bit of knowledge they have about types
(breeds) of books (horses) and how to handle a book (horse). Having grown up
around books (horses), many of their children will have learned to
love books (horses) and will come to have their own. Nearly everyone
will at some time in his or her life have read a book (ridden a
horse), on vacation at a fancy resort or while visiting a family friend who keeps a
few. Some will find they enjoy being around books (horses) and
reading books (riding horses) but will never come to own one. Perhaps they will be prohibitively expensive to own. Perhaps some will find they are allergic to books (horses), or
frightened of them. I think I will be dead by the time this happens,
but perhaps not for long.
