The Sunday Salon: A Library Story

It's been kinda weird around here for this past week. It might get weirder before it's over. Having said that, I really love how the bingo challenge over at BIP makes me think about new and different ways to post. Hopefully, you all are having fun with what might show up next too! One more week and then back to your regularly scheduled program! (Unless I discover something I love so much I'll add it to the normal line up!)

Anyway, so I have story to tell. This is a story that illustrates how I've gone over the edge of sanity regarding books. I truly am crazy.

Last week, I realized I had three books that I'd put on hold and were ready to be picked up at the library. I couldn't wait, (even though I really didn't lack for anything to read!) so I took daughter Toto with me and we gathered up the book club sets that needed to go back anyway, and headed off, arriving about 40 minutes before closing time.

I found my three books quickly, thought about checking them out quickly too, but then we decided to look at the movies first, to see if Toto wanted something. So we did, and lingered there for a bit while she choose her four movies (this library has the four movie limit.) Just as we were done and about to head  to the check out... .the fire alarm went off!

Instantly, I had a bit of a panic attack. Not about a potential fire... no... but about the fact that I knew they wouldn't let me check out  my books now! I even asked! (What a look I got too!) And they said, no way Jose, so we put our stack on a cart and went outside.

Of course, most people just went on home, but there were a few of us that lingered, hoping to be let back in. We sat there, listening to the alarm ring and ring and ring. Finally, the fire trucks came and the dudes sauntered slowly in and grinned at all us fanatics and said, "we'll try to get you back in as soon as we can."

So I had hope. We waited and waited and waited. The alarm finally went off. We could see the dudes wandering all over the place in there. I just knew any second they would came say.. "false alarm! All is well!"

So we waited. A half hour goes by. I kept thinking if only I'd just checked them out FIRST! Before we looked at movies! Soon it's 9:00 and closing time, which made me nervous. My books! I NEED them! I couldn't leave them there!

Finally, one of the guys came out and said to the small crowd still waiting, "You can go back in for person items you left but THAT'S IT!!" Sheesh, they sure can have an authoritative voice! UGH, I was so bugged. My poor books. I had to leave them. What would happen to them? Where would they end up?

I asked the librarian standing there and she assured me that they would be safe and available the next day.

I felt.... I don't know... crazy... walking off and leaving those books I was so excited about! It was weird. I was so bugged to have made a special trip for them and then to still leave them there. I even dreamed about them that night. Seriously. Is that scary or what?

Anyway, the next day, I went back after work and I looked first on the hold shelf and they weren't there. Then I went to cart, which looked like a mess and I couldn't see my stack! So I asked about it, ready to fight for my books! She calmly started shuffling through the mess on the cart...and suddenly there they were! My books! :) And the movies too! They were saved!

See, I've lost it. Totally.

And I know you want to know what the books were right?

P.S. As I suspected, it was just a little kid pulling the alarm. But when they didn't let us back in, I wondered if something really was up. But, no. The library was safe and sound. And I've since read one and half of these books. See. I really did want them NOW.