I once spoke about the virtues of keeping all records, regardless of their current utility to the evaluator. But I decided to erase someone’s handwriting in a book that had found its way to my hands. I didn’t know this person; I bought the book on Amazon. Presumably they’d sold the book after they felt it would have no more use for them. Maybe they sold it to buy a loaf of bread. I really don’t know.

Though I enjoy the effortless curvature of their handwriting, the transcription in the margins was getting distracting.

I erased your notes. I hope that the hand that penned them is still out there, somewhere, delivering facts to an eager listener.