Fast Feet, Fast Flash, and One Very Proud Grandpa

Saturday morning in July usually means one thing: somebody has forgotten to turn the sun down.

Not this year.

Instead, Franklin served up one of those suspiciously perfect summer mornings. Cool enough for runners to pretend they enjoyed waking up before sunrise, and cool enough for me to avoid slowly melting into a vintage puddle.

The Franklin Fast Flash 5K and Back to School Bash kicked off bright and early at the high school, and the place was already buzzing before I’d even finished waking up. Runners were stretching, families were gathering, volunteers were everywhere, and the entire event had enough community spirit to power a small city.

I parked myself in the Kids Zone, which, if you ask me, is exactly where the fun lives. Basketball, games, sporting activities, cheerleaders, police officers with horses.

Inside my little aluminum walls, it was another wonderful mix of familiar faces and first-time visitors. My favorite moment never gets old—that split second when someone steps inside and realizes I’m not just a camper.

“Wait…this is a bookstore?”

Yes. Yes, it is.

And judging by the reactions, I still manage to surprise people.

I had several returning shoppers stop by, along with plenty of new friends discovering me for the first time. One of my favorite conversations was with Tina, the district’s Bus Monitor of the Year. After about thirty seconds of chatting, it became very clear why she earned the honor. She talked about “her babies” with so much pride and affection that I honestly think half the kids on her route have an extra grandma looking out for them every morning. The world could use more Tinas.

Then two of my favorite Book Fairy subscription families wandered in.

Now, if you’re going to make my little fairy heart happy, this is how you do it.

They gave me a complete review of every monthly book they’d received—favorites, surprises, characters they loved, and what they’re hoping arrives next. Hearing kids excitedly talk about books they’ve actually been reading is one of the best reminders of why this whole crazy bookstore-on-wheels idea exists in the first place.

Of course, back-to-school conversations were everywhere.

I discovered there are only two kinds of people right now:

Those counting down the days until school starts.

And those pretending summer still has at least six weeks left.

There appears to be no middle ground.

The staff, volunteers, and community partners were phenomenal all morning. Everyone was welcoming, helpful, and genuinely excited to kick off another school year together. It’s always refreshing to spend time with people who care so deeply about their community.

But my favorite part of the day had nothing to do with books.

My dad is visiting from Mexico, and this was his first chance to experience The Book Fairy in action. He got to watch families pile into Sylvia, see kids leave hugging new books, hear all the conversations, and witness the wonderfully chaotic little world that somehow fits inside one vintage trailer.

It’s hard to explain The Book Fairy until you see it happen.

This weekend, he got to see it.

And I think he finally understood why I keep dragging this old trailer all over Indiana.

Thanks, Franklin, for another fantastic morning. You made July feel like September, reminded everyone that community still shows up before sunrise, and gave one proud dad a front-row seat to the magic.

XO-Sylvia