I made a librarian happy.
This morning I drove to Taylor to meet writing buddies at Java Junction on Main Street. I arrived in Taylor in timely fashion but, upon reaching Main Street, I realized I didn’t know whether to turn right or left.
I was not concerned. I’m an expert at driving around blocks.
First I turned left and drove a while, then turned around and drove back a while, then called friend #1 and spoke to her husband (she’d forgotten to take her cell phone), then called friend #2 and got no one, then turned around and inched along the other way again, then reversed and inched that way for a while, then called and reached friend #2, listened to directions, and inched back the other way…
I had visions of two women sitting beside the coffee shop window, watching me drive back and forth, back and forth. And pointing. And laughing.
Finally I came to my senses and turned at the little green and white sign with the graphic of the man reading a book.
If you want to make a librarian happy, someone told me, ask her a question.
I stopped at the reference desk and asked. The young lady’s face lit up.
After eliciting the information that I knew nothing about the town’s commercial district except where the Shell station was because I’d passed it several times–this is called a reference interview–she said Java Junction was right next door. Then she gave me a card with the library’s phone number, just in case I needed extra help.
I was sitting at the red light beside the Shell station when my phone rang. It was friend #2. “Do you know where the Shell station is?” she said.
I replied, “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“Java Junction is just on the other side, the building with the little blue sign.”
I turned left. It was as she had said. The sign was very little and not very blue and the lettering was not very bright. I almost drove past it.
I was thirty minutes late, and if it hadn’t been for that reference librarian, I would still be cruising Main Street.
Once again, a librarian saved the day.
But all was well. The coffee was good. The company was good. The mammoth cinnamon rolls my friends had consoled themselves with while waiting looked good. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, so I didn’t check for myself.
Anyway, that’s the story of my Wednesday adventure: narrative only. Just this happened and then this happened and then this happened. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t squeeze out a moral.
Except that librarians rule.
*****
ROW80 has been going on for weeks. This is my first report. There was no point–there it is again!–in reporting that I was ignoring my goals and staying up till all hours of the a.m. Last night, however, I got to bed shortly after 10:00 p.m. I’m shooting for a pre-11:00 p.m. turn-in tonight. So I have to get a move on. Please forgive egregious errors. I’ll proof tomorrow.
*****
Image belongs to Library Avenger’s photostream on flickr, CC BY 2.0.
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M. K. Waller 
I’m not sure why I’m friend #2 instead of #1, but did enjoy the story–and the company! Our librarians in Taylor, for the uninitiated, look a little like, but not exactly like the picture. They’re very nice and very helpful!
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You’re friend #2 because I called the other friend first, thus making her friend #1. If this is a problem, I’ll ask her to trade with you. The young women I spoke with in Taylor would have looked fantastic as a Librarian Avenger, but better as a plain librarian.
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LOL! ~~from Friend #2
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Please tell me what ROW80 is?!
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ROW80 is A Round of Words in 80 Days. It’s an 80-day writing challenge that runs four times a year. You make your own goals and report Sundays and Wednesday in blog posts how you’re doing. (Some report just once a week.) No winning, no losing, no pressure, just writing. There’s a FB page now. You can join at any time during the 80 days. More info:
http://aroundofwordsin80days.wordpress.com/
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thank you!
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You’re welcome.
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Well, I’m going to comment. We were not pointing and laughing, by the way. We were rooting for you. I also drove up and down the street looking for our meeting place. I was looking at the names on storefronts and not looking for signs, blue or otherwise, that towered (“towered” is a little strong) above the building.
But the coffee was good, the cinnamon rolls good, and the lunch preparation smelled delicious.
I was glad to see my writing friends, companions, co-conspirators, etc. on that bright, sunny day in Taylor. Now, next time, we’ll all know where to go.
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It’s good to know you were rooting for me. I was looking at storefronts, too. Now that we know where it is, we should do it again. Soon.
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Now what you need, my girl, is a decent British roundabout.
Then you can go round and round and round and round instead of back and forth….I loved this account, though, because motion apart it reminded me so very much of me.
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A roundabout! This calls for a whole new blog post. We’re really lucky, you know, because the extra miles we put in give us more time to think.
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I can tell you that there was a nice bridge involved. It doesn’t rotate, but it swooshes up and down–well your car swooshes while the bridge stays put.
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I did sense some swooshing as I drove across.
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Reblogged this on The Bonny Blog and commented:
This blog’s a Gem. One of my favs. Love following it,
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Thank you so much for reblogging. I really appreciate your following. I’m glad you found my blog so I could find yours. Love those beautiful cats!
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