Get It In Writing

You see strange things and encounter strange people if you are anywhere often enough or long enough. It should, therefore, be no shock that I have as odd of experiences as I do at the library. I am only there for some twenty or thirty minutes every three days, but still manage to get the full impression of all the weird goings-on at my local branch. The difference may be that when I was there for a full two hours a day for want of a computer at home, I had to suffer through more than enough exposure.

In any event, there was this recent incident. I was perusing the DVDs, as I am most of the time that I am there. Every few weeks, I am selecting a new book, but not this time. A woman softly asked for my pardon. I assumed that I was in her way, and courteously stepped aside to let her get at what she wanted. This is what I would want others to do for me, though they don't always. She asked for my pardon again, though.

I turned to look at her, and saw that she was clutching a piece of paper and a pen. She had a rather deferential posture, and proceeded to ask whether I spoke English. I don't know what I must look like I speak, but it's fair enough to say that the odds are lower than average that any given person does speak English around here. It's best to be sure before going any further. Anyway, once I answered affirmatively, she asked me to write down "each other" on her paper.

I was somewhat puzzled by the exchange by this point, but reasoned that it was easy enough to give what was being asked of me that it didn't matter too much what it was all about. I took the paper, wrote it down, and handed it back to her. The pen had gone through the paper a bit at one point because of the surface I had found to write on- the shelving holding the DVDs. She didn't say anything, and went about her business once she had the paper. I still don't know what to make of all that.