Tuesday, January 12, 2016

I would have baked you a cake

With the holidays over and bitterly cold temperatures popping up more days than not we've had many cranky patrons at the library. One poor giant of a man couldn't get his 7 ft tall self into his smart car after someone parked too close to the driver's side.  I'm sure the weather had something to do with his crankiness when he presented his problem to library staff.  We've also had a rash of loud squabbles and temper tantrums that encompass all age groups.  

Thankfully there have been some very fine and happy moments that have mostly outweighed the negativity. One teenager, after getting a new library card, reached out and shook my hand and thanked me.  Another teenager, in a very straightforward manner, told me that he had many Hannah's in his family and that the name must mean angel because all Hannah's were very kind to him.  He left the library saying, I just met another angel!

Also, one day I pulled out a doll from lost and found and handed it to a little girl who thought it had been lost forever and the relief and joy that consumed her entire tiny self nearly overwhelmed me as well.  

And today there was a lovely interaction between two patrons.  It was the kind of interaction that fills me with contentment and a sense of belonging.  That must never leave the library feeling that cannot even be smooshed by a thousand temper tantrums.  

A lady came to the desk and started to hand me an abandoned coat.  Another lady immediately swooped in.  

Doris!  That's my coat!

Greetings and cheek smooching were exchanged.  It was very apparent these two ladies were pals.  There was a lot of loud laughter and chatter, a lot of how's so and so and are you still doing this and that and will you be there for such and such.

At the end of the conversation the lady who found the coat said, If I had known you were coming I would have baked you a cake.

I wanted to say, why not always have a cake ready in your car any time you come to the library?  That way you have one just in case you run into a friend.  If you don't run into your friend it won't be any trouble at all for the library to take the cake off your hands.

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