Space Oddity
An Odd Library Visitor And An Almost James Bond Update
Working with the public, you never know what you are going get, and sometimes the "gettings" are odd to the extreme. This past Saturday @jacobtothe and I were manning the helm of the Repository Of Knowledge when some young boys strode through the door. I noted their appearance with a brief glimpse of acknowledgement as I was far more focused on the huge batch of item returns that had manifested on my counter from the courier delivery the day before. So busy was I washing the sheer magnitude of items that I didn't note what one of the children had in their arms.
A lot of the kids in our community are massively into all things "Five Nights at Freddy's." FN@F's started out as a survival horror game that has a bit of a Goosbumpsesque flavor to it, where the animatronic creatures in a pizza parlour try to kill you. Think of it as Chuck E. Cheese gone feral. I think there are four games, a few books, and a movie in the works concerning the FN@F's subject matter. All I know is the few books that have been churned out concerning that freaky pizza parlor have been well checked out by the local heathens.
So, in the long tradition of kids liking things macabre, I have seen a lot of odd drawings, endured requests for old RL Stine books, and smiled as I listened to the local seagulls cackle about the theories behind some of their favorite FN@F's creature origins. Witnessing the odd, eccentric, or enigmatic is nothing to unusual at the library.
However, as I walked over to the children's section to shelve some easy readers, I about left my shoes on our very sensible and well trod carpet as I came across this at the children's table:
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It was truly hard to suppress a shuddering desire to drop kick that marionette out onto the highway, but I persevered. I am not overly fond of dolls or clowns, so to happen upon Mr. Woodencreeper suddenly was more than a little unnerving, especially since I am slightly on edge a bit at work these days thanks to Almost James Bond.
Speaking of my favorite Not-Quite-A-Spy, he was in attendance both days that I worked this week. Many of my friends and family members think he is working operation Crushin on the Kat, but Tuesday's tactic of Too Dang Much Cologne was a tactical error. I couldn't even shelve books in the back of the library due to the Axe Body Spray cloud of doom. Talk about an olfactory assault!
I don't know if I agree with the crush assessment, the fanciful part of me would like to believe that the Spy Who unnerves me actually fancies himself on a mission, or perhaps is prepping for one. I mean, why else would he be spending so much time at the public libary?
Motives aside, I am afraid I will need to spend some time in repentant repose for my deeds yesterday. I was in a particularly mischievous and and irritated mood. A bad Kat emotion combination for the Earth's well-being. I truly strive to be a kind, empathetic person on most days, but yesterday I was about as internally content as a yellow jacket in a Mountain Dew bottle, so instigation happened. We are in the process of weeding the Adult Fiction at our library, and my task for the day was blacking out barcodes, stamping the weeded books with the red discard stamp, and placing them in our Friends of the library sale corner for the public to buy at their leisure. I needed a mindless task yesterday as I was brimming with a bit of life's refuse rage, and as I was wheeling a cart full of discarded adult fiction books out to the Friends shelf in the foyer, Almost James Bond walked through the door and into the foyer at the same time.
My usual greeting is a smile and hello, but for some strange reason I sped up the cart and bellowed, "Excuse me!" in a non-library octave of voice. I have to admit that Almost James Bond executed a slick maneuver as he rolled out of the way of a few hundred books and a crazy pencil skit and sensible shoes wearing librarian. His bear like eyes almost bugged out of his skull as I flashed him my most apologetic smile, and I, feeling a bit better about life, proceeded with shelving my discarded tomes.
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Of course, the spy who creeps me decided to get the bathroom key and come right back out into the foyer. I am a competitive person by nature, but there are just some staring contests that I don't want to win. Sigh.
My husband laughs at what he calls my naivete. He is of the mindset that I have all sorts of followers at my workplace, and gets really amused at my attempts to dissuade them. This whole awareness of attention thing has been somewhat distressing to yours truly, as I just want to ramble through my day. Yesterday, I was a touch ornery because I was frustrated by my lack of control over the whole stupid scenario, and it was as I pondered how much of life was beyond our control that I came to terms with the whole thing. I've been married for a long time, dress pretty conservatively, try not to bring too much attention to myself, and try to treat most people in the same, hopefully kind way. Those things are not going to change anytime soon. However, I am not going to wear a potato sack dress and a flour bag over my head either just because members of both sexes for some reason find me stare worthy. It is very strange to be going through such a scenario, as I am not exactly a fledgling young adult.
Perhaps I am just being over sensitive about the whole thing, which of course could be true. Then again, as the very wise and supremely awesome @old-guy-photos recently said to me, "Always trust your creepdar." So I'm going to do just that and keep a battering ram-like library cart on standby!
Also, I'd love to hear your point of view on all things odd and macabre that you have witnessed at your workplaces and beyond, or perhaps how you feel/felt about unwanted attention? I love reading your replies!
Want to read more @Generikat posts?
What an amusing post you have written. Have you considered taking a little time off work?
Some of the guys bird dogging you right now would be better off if you gave them a swift kick. I am referring to the wooden dummy in the children’s section. Boooot! That guy was creepy.
Is it that you don’t really like the smell of axxe? Or is he lingering too long at the check out counter, looking longingly at your favorite shelf of books? Watching you through the movie section?
Evidence is what I am talking about. Do you have any evidence that he is a randy reader, lusting for a hot librarian?
Could be. I have seen some similar scenes portrayed in sleazy films, you know like women in chains, or naughty nurses at night.
For sure you had better keep an eye on this guy. Your friend. 🐓🐓
If I could have upvoted your comment a thousand times I would have. I am still laughing!😆
I guess I will dangle that little marionette over my shoulder as I saucily saunter down to the adult fantasy section.....LOL LOL!
As far as evidence goes, it's in the early stages of staring discomfort and butchered stuttering vocalizations of flustered embarrassment whenever I have to talk to him.
Thank you so much my dear pal for the laugh, I sorely needed it this evening.
Let me try to put this together. You grew up in a logging camp surrounded by all kinds of roughnecks and characters. You lived way out in the yonder, witnessing first hand how treacherous life can be when you make your living off dangerous lands. Yet dolls and clowns creep you out. Hmm. I'm going to need more info to figure this one out. Too many Stephen King movies? Or was it Chucky who got to you?
Next topic. Weird things at work. One Saturday morning many winters ago, a customer was complaining about a draft in the dining room. Not unusual for winter time, people are always bitching about the cold. The next group of people who sat at the same table also complained about draft. OK, maybe something is going on. After the breakfast rush quiets down my mom goes out to the dining room to investigate. She comes back in the kitchen and tells me there is a hole in the window. What?
Now I have to check this out for myself. I'll be damned. There is a hole in the window. Mom doesn't understand how this can happen. I tell her it's a bullet hole. She immediately thinks I'm nuts. I go searching around the dining room floor and over by the counter I find the bullet. Now mom is convinced one of our competitors has gone insane.
We filed a police report but the cop came to the same conclusion as I had. It was hunting season. The restaurant is on the farm. The bullet was from a rifle. The incident occurred some time between midnight and 6 a.m. Logical conclusion : Some drunk on his way home saw a deer (or what he thought was a deer) in the parking lot and took a shot at it. And missed. Well he missed the deer. He did a good job hitting the window.
Last topic. Almost James Bond. I'm sticking to my original assessment. Lonely guy, meets a happy friendly face, doesn't know how to interact with someone in a proper way, does weird things to get some attention. I agree you should always trust your "creepdar", you never know for sure. Yet my guess is he is harmless. That being said, if he crosses any lines or makes you feel uncomfortable at work nip it in the bud immediately. Have a male coworker have a talk (threaten) with him. I worked with a lot of girls and women at the restaurant, and a few times over the years I had to tell a guy to back off. Never had an issue after that. Some guys are just awkward. They don't mean any harm, they just come off creepy.
Sorry about the length of this comment. @generikat you have the ability to bring out the bullshitter in me. Have a good day.
Oh Chops, lol! I said I wasn't overly fond of fake humanoids, not scared of them! Perhaps it was cause I was a little kid in the eighties when there were a ton of creepy doll and clown movies everywhere you looked?
Your story about the bullet whole window ventilation incident is priceless! I'm just glad the marksman shot at your restaurant after hours, for some reason I keep imagining a drunk thinking he saw eyes and tried to bag himself a buck...sheesh!
Regarding Almost James Bond, a couple of years ago I was receiving a bit more attention that I would have liked from a particular patron. It wasn't enough to make a ruckus about, but I had my husband come and hang out at the library for a couple of days. Nothing deters unwanted attention like seeing a gigantic Hawaiian, might be time to enact the Polynesian Protocol again...
You should never, ever apologize for your comments! I love them! And as a person that descends from a LONG line of BS artists, I have to say that your words make me feel right at home, lol! Hope you are having a great day too my friend😊
Good comment. I agree he may be awkward and harmless, but also feel if it goes even a bit further, he needs a talking to.
Thanks for the mention Kat!!! OMG!!! The funny thing is I was here to remember what you call your creeper coz I mentioned you and your creeper in my post about MY creeper experience!!!! This is so weird and like a mind meld type of thing LOL!
Seriously though, its so hard coz its nothing much officially that you can do. I get the whole hubby laughing it off on one or two occasions, but this seems persistent and I even saw your friend @jacobtothe comment that he too finds Wannabe Bond to be creepy...so its not just you. If it escalates even a bit I would make a proper stink about it! At that point it might be time for hubs to have a word or two with Mr Bond.
Creeper Friday! LOL! It must have been in the Northern Hemisphere air or something!
As of right now the situation is just a bit odd and noticeable, however, if it escalates any more I will have my husband come and hang out at the library for a day or two, his presence is a great deterrent. At least the whole creeper thing has made for great blog post fodder for the both of us, lol!
You are most welcome for the mention, you are pretty awesome at advice along with photos😊
Hope you are having a rather smashing day!
That doll is super creepy. Did a kid just leave it there?
He sat it in a chair in the kid's section of the library while he looked for books and movies. It stared at me the entire time, lol!! When he was ready to check out his items he tucked that marionette under his arm and had it speak to me throughout the whole checking out process. It was a trip!
I bet! That is so weird....
At least it never turned its head to watch you... when you were looking at it, anyway...
I, too, would like to hear the rest of the doll/puppet story! Did it leave with the youngsters? Did any of them have ventriloquist skills? Does it have a library card now? If it's still there, it might make a good scarecrow in your garden this spring.
You know, I would have loved to make that marionette a library card, that would have made my day! The boy left him in the kid's section to stare at me while he searched for things to check out and then he did display some pretty advanced ventriloquist skills during check out, I spoke to the doll not the boy throughout the whole process. Now I am wondering if he will be a weekly fixture in the library?
Scarecrow! snicker
Hi @generikat! @old-guy-photos told me about you 😊 I used to work in a library as well and am in the midst of posting a week long series "Love & Libraries: a Week Long Affair". I love your writing and can totally relate to the library creeper story. 😳 Had a few of those too. But...I did end up meeting my husband in the 900 section! (No, he was NOT one of the creeps, lol) I tell that story in my Day 1 post. Following you for more library lore! Great work! Btw, i see from your profile you homeschool. I did that too for a decade.
Hi @denisechips! I am so glad OGP notified you of my existence, I got to glance at your blog and totally followed you, it looks amazing! It's so excellent you met your husband whilst hanging out in the travel and history section, lol lol! I loved the picture he drew of your meeting😊
Boy, between library and home school stories we have a lot of mutual ground to chew through! Here lately I haven't been on Steemit near as much as I would like, I blame the children and basketball season, as I am now a middle school student chauffeur most of the week. Hope to chat with you more soon!
Lol, @generikat, I also spwnd my time as a "middle school student chauffeur most of the week" as well. Sound like we are living parallel lives. Would love to get to know you more. If you post something about libraries & homeschool, & I dont comment, probably means i missed it in my feed, so feel free to leave me a link to your post in a comment section. Enjoy the weekend!
Im like upvote
Thank you!
It sounds so interesting over there for you, I wish I worked with you, haha.
R.L Stine books are classic!! That was me growing up, lol.
That doll is super creepy and they do freak me out!!
You are one of my favorite authors here @generikat! Have a great day! :)
What is up with all these creepers lately? Although, you do seem to take it in stride with all the clever names you come up with, lol.
I had a strange menagerie of attention when I worked in food service. Gals were batting their eyes at me, and a few fellas decided that hitting on me would turn me into their man. It was all very strange, lol. Like you, I decided to be courteous, smile and generally keep my distance, lol.