The old man, like Ebenezer Scrooge, lives alone in a drafty old house. But his house, unlike Scrooge’s, is stocked with books. Hundreds of them, on all kinds of subjects-- philosophy, science, history, religion, also art and poetry. He acquired them, for a pittance. through used book sales. A dollar, two dollars each. Books published decades ago. Products from a different era. Pages yellowed, weather-worn, but nicely bound and scented with soul. Some with dedications. Perhaps a gift from one lover to another. Others with handwritten notes written at the margins. Records of the previous owner’s remarks, questions and pondering. What does he see in them? Don't they belong to the junk pile? Perhaps he knows that on a cold winter night, these books will serve as his only companions. Books other people discard, are his protection against old age and loneliness. He acquires them, not for knowledge, but for warmth. They are his substitute for the lost human touch. They are his sustenance.