This has been a rather odd day. I thought it would be a day off, however I was called in on a last minute shift (40 minute lead time)...so besides being completely befuddled running around retrieving half-finished laundry and looking for my car (2 blocks away due to lack of parking), I made it with minutes to spare. Today, was not meant to be a normal day however.1. I met a city engineer. He started the conversation by handing me his business card and I thought, oh no not another middle aged guy hitting on the librarian...Apparently I have become completely conceited, he simply wanted permission to take pictures of the library interior as a part of a proposal to put in air condition. I was all for it! It was hot today, I had a fan on the reference desk blowing in my face until I decided it was impairing my hearing and I had to point it elsewhere.
2. 5 minutes before the end of my shift, a man alerted me to the fact that he had been waiting to use the men's washroom for a rather long time...Oh dear. I went over and knocked - nothing, but the sound of running water and a locked door. He advised me to wait a few more minutes (I did and began to wonder if I could stretch it out to the end of my shift, but that seemed wrong). I went to ask about a spare key, a lib. tech and another librarian then enthralled me with stories of bathroom unlockings gone wrong. Yes, yes, knock VERY VERY LOUDLY first.
3. A co-worker asked me to fill out a personality questionnaire. Yes, this library technician hunted me down in the stacks and explained that he gives it to all new employees, and has for years. Over 300 surveys have been completed. Okay...I agreed before looking at it, feeling mildly concerned about providing such personal information for a co-worker/stranger.
A few examples of the odd questions I savoured during some down time on the desk...
You seem modest, even shy. YES NEUTRAL NO
You have a greater than usual resistance to physical and psychological fatigue. YES NEUTRAL NO
You have many friends and are well liked by them. YES NEUTRAL NO
Well the survey ended with information about my birth. No not just my birthdate, the time, the type of birth (c-section, clamps, anesthetic, mid-wife, etc.) and related complications, where I got this information from, and the planetary alignment. I didn't really know the answers to this part. Apparently he will email the results to me later in the week. He is trying to pinpoint some differences between clerical staff and librarians, however as the pool of librarians is much smaller, he feels the results have been all over the map. Yeah, maybe that's it...Hmmm.
3 comments:
oh woopy schmoopy he wasn't hitting on you after all? Like middle aged men are not discerning? Like they have not acquired the finessed discrimmination of a well-aged bordeaux? Well let me tell you my lithe hussey, though I am not quite the tender young (and oh so special) spring chicken you portray yourself as, with the proper application of creams that lessen the appearance of aging, as well as heavy makeup, I appear well under 50. And when I get compliments from middle aged men, particularly those who have been around a bit, maybe taken a spin or two in stony mountain, who know the difference between a Harley Dyna and a Harley Softail, and who express their appreciation with catcalls or shrill whistles augmented by devil-may-care inebriation or smack, I appreciate them, evey last one of them. Sure I find it gratifying when I manage to fool men into thinking I'm a woman and that's enough in and of itself. But I don't look a gifthorse in the mouth. 398's. I suggest you brush up on them.
Al U. Minetti
PS- In regards to my "oh so special" self portrayal...When I was in kindergarten, I got myself into a lot of trouble when the teacher called my mother in, apparently I was telling the other children, "I'm special" - That's what my parents always said - nowadays that just means that you have a disability, but back then, it almost got me beat up...I think we all have the right to feel a little special now and then.
Hey, you don't portray yourself remotely in an arrogant or conceited way -- self-deprecating all the way!! Post criticises you for your "oh so special" self portrayal and in the next breath goes on about elaborate beautifying and self-congratulation at compliments. It's hypocritical at every turn!!
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