I was in the library the other day, just standing in the stacks. I had my ear plugs in because I had been studying and I like to block out the rabble. But sometimes I just wander through the stacks, looking for something interesting. Something I'd like to read someday. Just seeing what there is.
The reference librarian (a rather loud dude who knows not much) walked in with a man and a young girl. He pulled out a volume on sleep disorders and said that he could order her something on narcolepsy if that wasn't what she needed. She and her father got a bit frustrated as there was nothing in the book on narcolepsy. Not surprising. Narcolepsy is not a sleep disorder. (How do you know that Penny, you might wonder, and the answer would be "I'm not exactly sure. I just do.")
So, being helpful I said "I would look in this book" and I reached out a pulled the N volume of a several volumes text on medical stuff out an inch. Dad took it and sure enough -- Narcolepsy. But he is confused! The book says it is on page 645 but the book only had 513 pages. I left him to be confused for a moment. Then I took pity. "That's because the set has 6 volumes."
Oh! He is happy to find what darling daughter needs. She says to him, quite straight-faced, "You always say that you are the smartest person in the world." Penny does not laugh. No one can know everything. But our children do not realize this at eleven. Maybe at thirteen, but at eleven you're still hot shit.
Dad asks me a question but I have to pause to remove the ear plugs. Which must appear strange to him. Weird library girl pulling wads of bright orange guck from under her hair and asking "Hmmm?"
"Where is the copier?"
I honestly do not remember. I know there is one. In fact I think I hear it now. "Somewhere near, I think I hear it now." He looks at me strangely. I wonder why. Perhaps its odd that I could, without recourse to the card catalog, just pull from the shelf the volume he seeks without his even asking for it but I can not locate the copier.
"Don't you work here?"
No. I don't. I guess that was the end of my allure because he turned and walked away without another word. Maybe the noisy reference librarian will have better luck with the copier conundrum.
The reference librarian (a rather loud dude who knows not much) walked in with a man and a young girl. He pulled out a volume on sleep disorders and said that he could order her something on narcolepsy if that wasn't what she needed. She and her father got a bit frustrated as there was nothing in the book on narcolepsy. Not surprising. Narcolepsy is not a sleep disorder. (How do you know that Penny, you might wonder, and the answer would be "I'm not exactly sure. I just do.")
So, being helpful I said "I would look in this book" and I reached out a pulled the N volume of a several volumes text on medical stuff out an inch. Dad took it and sure enough -- Narcolepsy. But he is confused! The book says it is on page 645 but the book only had 513 pages. I left him to be confused for a moment. Then I took pity. "That's because the set has 6 volumes."
Oh! He is happy to find what darling daughter needs. She says to him, quite straight-faced, "You always say that you are the smartest person in the world." Penny does not laugh. No one can know everything. But our children do not realize this at eleven. Maybe at thirteen, but at eleven you're still hot shit.
Dad asks me a question but I have to pause to remove the ear plugs. Which must appear strange to him. Weird library girl pulling wads of bright orange guck from under her hair and asking "Hmmm?"
"Where is the copier?"
I honestly do not remember. I know there is one. In fact I think I hear it now. "Somewhere near, I think I hear it now." He looks at me strangely. I wonder why. Perhaps its odd that I could, without recourse to the card catalog, just pull from the shelf the volume he seeks without his even asking for it but I can not locate the copier.
"Don't you work here?"
No. I don't. I guess that was the end of my allure because he turned and walked away without another word. Maybe the noisy reference librarian will have better luck with the copier conundrum.
posted by Bad Penny at 10:35 PM
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