After leaving my job and retiring rather young, I felt the world was a buffet, with many things to sample and taste. The Golden Public Library, my favorite "word café", offered a smorgasbord in the way of audio books; since I am a runner and found myself "music-ed out"; turning to this course on my life's menu has been most rewarding.

Upon placing a tape into my Walkman, I introduced myself to Jayne Eyre. My heart bled for Jane while in her childhood. And as for Pip in Great Expectations, which was a book I'd read in my youth, but had all but forgotten, my heart bled some more. Oh, the injustice!

Victorian Literature marinated my life like a teriyaki steak, surrounded by pineapple rings on a big blue platter.

Anthony Trollope and his high-browed characters in his Palliser series, oozing with class, sophistication and their own brand of troubles entertained me for hours and hours while I ran my daily, neighborhood route.

Then, I met David Copperfield. Thank you Charles Dickens! He is my dessert. The epitome of a true Victorian hero is he. How could I have waited so long in my life to discover this ice cream sundae, covered with hot fudge, sprinkled with pecans and toffee bits, with a little slice of chocolate cake and a couple Toll House cookies on the side? That is David Copperfield.

I am stuffed; until the next Victorian course. Yummy!