WHEN IT'S WINDY AND COLD OUTSIDE AND THE LIBRARY HAS WHAT FEELS LIKE 150 MAYBE 200 STUDENTS IN IT WITH A TL AND A CLERICAL AND YOU ARE HOLIDAY BORROWING AND FINDING BOOKS AND ISSUING DOUBLE BORROWING PASSES AND YOU'RE SAYING, "George, don't do that*" EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES AND DID I MENTION THE WIND THAT SETS THE KIDS OFF INTO LALA LAND BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WIND DOES TO CHILDREN AND YOU HOPE THEY'RE NOT DOING THE WRONG THING ON THE COMPUTERS BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO HELP THE KID WHO WANTS A BOOK TO READ OR NEEDS INFORMATION FOR AN ASSIGNMENT OR GO DEAL WITH THE 'NAUGHTIES BUT NOT UTTERLY APPALLING AND MAYBE THEY'RE NOT DOING THE WRONG THING' ONES...AND SO YOU CHOOSE VIRTUE OVER POSSIBLE EVIL BUT THERE ARE KIDS EVERYWHERE AND ONE WHO NEEDS NURTURING NEEDS A CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THAT'S ALL YOU CAN PRESCRIBE AND THEN THAT ONE + THEIR SYMPATHETIC FRIENDS SIT ON THE FLOOR ON AND JUST OUTSIDE YOUR OFFICE BECAUSE MAYBE IT REPRESENTS SOME KIND OF SAFETY OR COMFORT BUT HEY, MAYBE IT'S CONVENIENCE AND ANYWAY THE HOT CHOCOLATE SEEMS TO BE WORKING WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO GLANCE OVER THERE AND MISS, I'VE READ TWILIGHT AND LIKE ADVENTURY THINGS, WHAT CAN YOU SUGGEST, I'LL BE ON A LONG LONG PLANE FLIGHT TO ITALY NEXT WEEK AND WANT TO READ AND SO YOU TRY NOT TO BE JEALOUS AND TO FIND GOOD THINGS THAT YOU HAVE IN STOCK AS OPPOSED TO THE MANY GOOD THINGS YOU'VE ALREADY SOLD/LENT TO OTHER STUDENTS AND ONE OF HER PALS COMES ALONG AND ADDS RECOMMENDATIONS TOO SOME OF WHICH ARE OUT BUT THANKS BE YOU FIND SOME PROSPECTS AND SHE HAPPILY GETS A DOUBLE BORROWING CARD AND BORROWS SEVEN BOOKS AND YOU HOPE THEY COME BACK FROM ITALY AND IS THAT TRIUMVIRATE OF (A) INTERMITTENTLY OBNOXIOUS AND (B)INTERMITTENTLY CHARMING YEAR 10 BOYS BEING (A) OR (B) TODAY AND IF THEY'RE BEING (A), WELL THEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT OR IS IT NOT QUITE APPALLING ENOUGH GIVEN WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON, AND MORE KIDS COME TO BORROW SO BOTH OF YOU ARE RUNNING HOT WITH THAT AND HANDING OUT HOLIDAY BORROWING BOOKMARKS AND MISS CAN YOU FIND THE FIRST BOOK IN THIS VAMPIRE SERIES AND WHERE IS THIS OTHER BOOK AND DO YOU HAVE THAT AND CAN I BORROW SOME SCRAP PAPER AND MAY I BORROW A TISSUE PLEASE (NO NO, YOU MAY HAVE EVERY TISSUE YOU NEED) AND I NEED TO BORROW SOME SCISSORS AND MISS WHY IS MY COMPUTER BEEPING AND BEEPING AND MISS DID I SHOW YOU THE MANGA PICTURE MY BOY DREW OF ME AND HIM BUT IT'S ON MY MOBILE PHONE AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED BUT CAN I SHOW YOU LOOK HE'S GOTH TOO AND THAT'S A GUINEA PIG ON HIS SHOULDER BECAUSE HE HAS THREE AND THAT'S HOW HE DRAWS ME I THINK IT'S A HEART THERE TOO MISS AND A HEAD TEACHER COMES IN TO BORROW A DVD AND REMARKS THAT IT SEEMS QUITE BUSY IN HERE AND OFF SHE GOES AND YOU CHECK TO SEE THAT THE HOT CHOCOLATE STILL SEEMS TO BE WORKING BUT YOU'D RATHER NOT HAVE TO STEP QUITE SO CAREFULLY OVER THOSE KIDS TO ANSWER YOUR PHONE WHICH IS RINGING AGAIN AND DID I MENTION THE DOZENS OR HUNDREDS OF KIDS IN THE LIBRARY AND THE WIND?
Some days, you know for sure that you've earned your salary. Don't you? My clerical assistant earned hers too, for sure and certain.
My first lunchtime at this school, two timid kids came to the library during the entire forty minute lunch break. The next day, not many more. Nah. I don't want the old days back. Just enough of me to survive lunchtimes like today's!
The happy life of teacher librarians!
Cheers, Ruth
PS. It is now the weekend.
*see this blog entry for the Joyce Grenfell monologue...
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1 comment:
Oh Ruth. That SO takes me back. It was good at the time but the time is past. And I am not sure I have the energy to go back there. Brilliant stream of consciousness. Thanks. Love your blog.
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