December 5, 2007: Close Encounters of the Third Grader Kind
Though I ostensibly work from home, I actually spend most of that time in libraries, either the University of North Florida one or the main Jacksonville Public library downtown.
Usually, this works out well: the act of gathering my things and traveling to the library is a helpful mental transition into whatever task I've got to complete.
The only negative to using the downtown library is that the the bums who infest it aren't working--they're playing poker on the Internet, arguing over who gets to keep the plastic sack of blood-streaked clothes, and snoring loudly in chairs.
All I ask is that they be more QUIETLY mentally ill. Just for the few hours I'm here. Then they can go back to all their yelling and whatnot.
Today, the bums and I had guests. An army of third graders on a field trip visited my grand reading room to gasp at the high ceilings, tall windows, and fancy furniture. Their teachers also had them scan the carpet to interpret the words written there ("Jacksonville Public Library, Open to All").
So they shuffled and tottered and wandered in big circles like the aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, whispering the letters to themselves. Some were holding hands to form long chains. Others peered over my shoulder to see what I was doing on the computer, probably nonplussed by the very boring game of Captivate I was "playing."
It was nice to have some new blood in the library.
