Cookie Thieves Cult Figures: Ronald Takaki is stalking me...

Okay, so Ronald Takaki isn't stalking me in person, that would be much creepier ( I mean, check out those silicone valley -esque glasses!). However, his book, "A Different Mirror" definitely is stalking me. Let me explain...

It all started freshman year. Esmee and I being freshbabies took our first (and sadly, only) class together, an 100 level Political Science class with a professor we will call Cool Hand Luke. Cool Hand Luke's required reading list included printed handouts of essays (many of which he authored discussing in detail that his mother was prostitute and that he was a crack baby, how shocked Esmee and I were, and he ended up so straight laced, "Good for Cool Hand Luke!" we say) , and a single book, that book was .... Ronald Takaki's A Different Mirror. And so it all began.

It all seemed so innocent at first, we read from the book, we discussed the book, I used the book as a source in papers for Cool Hand Luke and then when our class ended (as all good things come to an end) I put the book on my shelf, thinking, "Well there's another school book I'll never be picking up again." How wrong I was!

Year after year changing dorms, I would have to pack and unpack "A different mirror" and a mixture of nostalgia for Cool Hand Luke's class as well as disgust for the book would infect the cockles of my heart. Until one day, Junior year, I realized I could use a Takaki quote for a paper discussing racial tensions in yet another dreadfully boring Paper for a sociology class. At the time I did not think much of it, true, I thought I would never have to open Takaki's book again, but once, okay, that's fine.

Then finally last month, I was in a meeting with an English Professor, we are discussing my next paper topic and my professor tells me, "You know what would be a great book to use to support your argument, is this book, its called... um, A Different Mirror, I be..."
My eyes shot wide open like saucers and I cut her off
"By Takaki? Ronald Takaki's A Different Mirror?" I was thinking, "Are you kidding me!?" Not only has this book been outright stalking me, its transcended the boundaries of departments and presented itself to me in three completely unrelated classes! I was in a state of shock, I just couldn't believe it.

So when I was recently writing this paper, using my old freshman year copy, it occurred to me, maybe I should just embrace this book, perhaps I am destined to be with this book forever. So now, every chance I get, I try to use Takaki's book in as many papers as possible. I've learned when life gives you Takakis, you have to roll with it.
-Coco