Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Joy of Saturdays on the Reference Desk

I've recently started working Saturdays at the Reference Desk at my local public library. Less than half the usual staff is on duty on Saturdays, and only one volunteer is scheduled. Already, I can see that this one shift of Reference is going to be the most interesting 4 1/2 hours of my work week.

For example:
  • My fortune was read--without my prompting. I was told that I'm in the 6th year of my 9 year cycle. The 6th year is the year of everyone demanding my time and attention. My 7th year will start on my birthday, and it will be the year I declare that I need time for myself--and I take it, which will lead to a spiritual re-centering. The 8th year is when my ship comes in, and all my hard work will pay off. I can't wait!

  • In the middle of asking for help in making a reservation for a public internet computer, someone told me that the valuable lost thing I've been looking for will be next to something green. (My grandmother's anniversary ring is missing, so I'm hoping...problem is that it's probably lost in a purple bedroom...)

  • I had to look up the musical notation for "repeat this phrase" for a customer...and describe it over the phone.

  • A guy in the computer center yelled at a couple behind him for talking too much. 20 minutes later, I saw the same guy being friendly to another man in the computer center, one who talked to himself non-stop all day. Mostly conspiracy theories.

  • An aggressive or impatient young man demanded help in finding books in Arabic...by leaning over the balcony and yelling down to me. Turned out he wanted books about how to learn Arabic. Later, on my way out the door for lunch, he came to me and demanded I call the police, that we rewind the security monitors and see who stole his iPod. He went so far as to grab the phone off the counter and dial 9, but I hung up before he could complete 911 and dialed the non-emergency number for him. When I got back from lunch, I was told that his iPod had been found...on the upper balcony, not the lower one where he was looking. Also with the iPod were his other pair of socks.

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