The reader (Saigon)

I was in street side food shop enjoying Goi Tai Heo (pig ear salad). Across the street, I saw a woman slow down her bicycle. She rested it on a tree. Opened a book and settled down to read under the tree. My thoughts drifted to why text is still so endearing. Our imagination perhaps, is the best rendering engine. An intriguing novel, perhaps the best virtual reality experience. With a book, we render our own characters and environs, building upon the hints the author provides in the text. In this way we are active collaborators in the story telling process.