There's a Bad Moon on the Rise...

Oy vey! What a day! Let me back track to say that my sinuses have been driving me crazy with all the rain that we've been getting over the last few days. I had a lot of ear pain since last Friday so I decided to try and see my doctor. I couldn't get in until today at 8:45am. Keep in mind that I was scheduled to close at work (12-8pm) and I didn't feel like wasting the gas and time to drive home and back from downtown. She diagnosed me with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Essentially short of moving there's not much I can do other than heavily medicate myself with allergy meds, ibuprofen, and mucinex.

I was at a local coffee shop by 9am. Back in the old days, I would've gone in and started working on something but after the layoff, I'm careful about staying overtime. Why bother when it doesn't count for anything? I had plenty to do for myself--a book I needed to read for a discussion group that I'll be hosting, planning a class that I'll teach in the the Spring, etc. I took to the back room of the coffee shop and proceeded to get comfortable when some toddlerish (4 or5 years old) crotch fruit came running back. Of course they decided to sit near me. Mom must've sent them ahead. Sure enough she and an older woman followed. Things quieted down once the feedbag was presented. I figured if they continue to behave, I could stay. Of course, mom's discussion of her artistic production and her advisor's recommendations were just a bit too much for the little darling. He fussed so he and his sister were sent to a nearby table. Just as he was getting to ready to leave, I leaned down to get something out of my bag when I heard a fart about two feet from my face. I jumped back and said, "Excuse you". He looked a bit puzzled and acted as if he didn't do anything. Thankfully, mom didn't catch my comment because I really couldn't tell her with a straight face that her kid just farted in my general direction. It was at that point that I decided to relocate. Between the chatter and the butt trumpet, my idyllic oasis just wasn't working out. Why do pretentious adults think that kids should hang out in coffee shops?

Work was uneventful until about 6pm. My co-worker reported that a crazy lady just started a negative discussion about Buffalonians and their attitude--nobody wants to help her no matter where she goes, they just call security and throw her out. Danger Will Robinson Danger! She went on to say that she's from Miami and that down there they also do the same. She proceeded to ask about Buffalo's history. He found answers but recommended that she check out another department. She was pushing her own wheelchair but did not want to travel down the hall. She wanted him to call the department on her behalf. Apparently, this brought the staff member in charge of the building into the matter. By the time she turned up at my desk (7pm) she wanted to make a complaint against that person. She said they stereotyped her by presuming that she was homeless. Just because she's Black doesn't mean she's homeless, etc. etc. I put my yoga training into practice by breathing deeply and listening. I offered her a comment form and discretely alerted the staff member in charge that this lady might show up at the administrative offices tomorrow.

Shortly before closing time she parked herself outside the bathroom door and asked the guard to get some spray for the ladies room because it smells bad in there. He refused and rightfully so. Maintenance is hard to contact after hours. He's a security guard not the tidy bowl man.

She came by my desk and asked if copies cost anything. I said that they did. She then wanted me to look up the NAACP in Buffalo and any other civil rights groups in the area--with 15 minutes to go--and giver her computer print outs. I offered to write the information down because we charge for those print outs. I didn't want to become her Internet jockey. I found the information and gave it to her but then she tried to interrupt a transaction between myself and another patron. I brushed her off and thankfully she didn't materialize when the closing announcement went off. I grabbed my shiznit and hit the door even though I had to water the toilet. I figured "fuck it" just get out of here and take care of biz at home. I try my best to be kind to the crazy and indigent but I get really irritated when they think the world owes them something. Librarians are fast becoming de facto social workers as the economy takes a serious crap. We are not trained as such and it's extremely stressful. "America Gone Wrong: A Slashed Safety Net Turns Libraries into Homeless Shelters," tells our plight.

As I ascended the highway, I looked at the dark grey sky and the bright patches mixed in to find a rainbow to the south and a full moon not far away--hence the difficult loony tune. As Buffalo's Harold Arlen once said, "Somewhere over the rainbow..."

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Now playing: Buddy Guy - It's A Jungle Out There
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