Not infrequently, people in my neighborhood put unwanted “stuff” on the sidewalk—anything from discarded sofas to tired pots and pans.  Walking home one early evening last week, I noticed a beautifully dressed, young, perhaps Indian, woman, looking over a carton of give-away books.

I stopped to see what caught her eye and noticed that the box was full of cookbooks.  She had picked up The Joy of Cooking, a staple in every kitchen (including mine) for generations.  I told her that my copy was about as worn as the one she held in her hand.  I added that people probably don’t buy cookbooks so much now because of the Internet.

She took it anyway.