Saturday, November 09, 2013

Miss Information is nice to someone. See how that works out.

The customer at the desk is looking for something. Specifically she is looking for the book she reserved. She tells Miss Information that after she'd taken it from the pick up shelf, she'd put it down somewhere and now it's missing. Miss Information is mighty impressed that the woman successful picked up her own hold because most people can't manage that. This woman must be a rocket scientist. Miss Information doesn't think finding the woman's hold will be brain surgery. How many places could it be?

The woman has already retraced her steps. She's even looked on the pick up shelf in case it may have found its way back there. Miss Information continues to be impressed with the patron's ability. She offers to check the circ desk in case the book has ended up there. It hasn't. She checks the bins of books being shipped to other branches just in case it wound up there. She also checks the pick up shelf, looks on the trucks the pages are shelving and asks around. The book cannot be found.

The woman takes the bad news philosophically. Miss Information marks the book missing, because well, the book is missing. She assures the woman that it will turn up and that the library will call her back. The patron thanks Miss Information and goes to the children's department.

In about ten minutes the woman returns, missing book in her hand. She explains that when she'd retraced her steps earlier she'd forgotten about going to the encyclopedias! Then she remembered and there was the book!

Miss Information is delighted. She hates mysteries. The woman starts to walk away. Then she stops and comes back. This time she doesn't seem so happy.

"You know," she says. "You've been nice to me. Really nice. And I'm an idiot. The public transit department treats everyone terribly. You should be more like them. You need to stop being nice. Stop it. Stop it right now!"

Miss Information chuckles but the woman glares at her. "I mean it!" she says. "Stop being so nice!"

Um. Ok, then. Miss Information will never be nice to anyone again. Frankly it's a big relief.


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