the meltdown

so, i'm at the desk when a couple comes up to me. they're mad. i hate that. can't people pretend to be nice once in a while? i'd be sure to want to help them more.  catch more flies with honey and all...


angry woman: THAT KID JUST GOT ON MY COMPUTER! YOUR SYSTEM BOOKED US BOTH FOR THE SAME EXACT TIME! YOU NEED TO GET HIM OFF!

me: i'm so sorry, we're really busy and sometimes our software freaks out and double books a computer. let me get you a reservation for another computer.

aw: YOU NEED TO GET HIM OFF OF THAT COMPUTER. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

me: i have no idea which of you got here first or who's been waiting longer. i'm sure i can get you on another computer very soon.

aw:   I'VE BEEN HERE LONGER.  I'VE BEEN WAITING 5 MINUTES ALREADY!   THAT KID IS PLAYING GAMES, I NEED THAT COMPUTER!!!!!! I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!!

me: again, i'm very sorry for the inconvinience. our software has glitches when we're really busy. here's a reservation for another computer. there are only about 5 minutes to wait and you'll get right on. in the mean time, you can jump on an express computer while you wait. 

what i didn't say: i'm not about to make a judgement call on who's computer time is more valid.

aw: I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE TO WAIT 5 MINUTES. THIS IS SO STUPID.

at this point she is having a complete melt down. she's yelling, she's being a total bitch to me. and, really, she'd only been waiting about 5 minutes before all this started. total of 10 minutes waiting. our normal wait time is around 2 HOURS. *sigh*

so, she gets on the computer, stays on for half an hour.

and then.

and then she gets up and wanders through the DVDs for 45 minutes. yep. she didn't have time to wait for a computer because she wanted to browse our DVDs.

Wishing

ok, so, since i have had a loverly morning without any patrons, in order to gear myself up for the next 12-6 hours, i will tell you about last weeks library days.


a biker woman came in with her son. the woman was very crack-whoreish looking. kept twitching. she told me: i need a book on them ball-headed eagles fer my son's report. watcha got?

our e-mail notification went down. people weren't getting reminders that their books were due. several patrons threatened never to use our library system again if we didn't get it back up....ya dude, the 26 bucks we saved you by letting you read the book for free is so much better than the 20 cents you got charged for being 2 days late. dumbass.

i counted 6 mexican guys with joker tats. i can't tell if there is a gang, or if mexican guys just love jokers.

i seriously contemplated putting the suicide prevention booklets next to the syliva plath books. but i decided against it. i hope no one dies.

i'm going to start counting patrons who, after seeing that there are 2 librarian desks, one high, and one low, and that there is only 1 librarian on duty, still go and stand at the desk with no one at it. WTF? i bet it is over 20 per week. i always want to just ignore them till they come over to the desk i'm actually sitting at. sigh.

maybe today will be filled with happy patrons who say thank you, don't yell on their cell phones and wait for their turn in line.

return of german lady

so, one of my employees comes up to me and says that a woman was very upset because she didn't have change for a $20.

of course we don't have change for a $20. we take in .10 fines. *sigh*

so, the lady comes up to me a few minutes later and it's german lady.
her: VYE YOU NOT HAV CHANGE FOR 20?
me: i'm very sorry, we just don't carry that much money. we're a library.
her: THIS IS STUPID. WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO? I NEED CHANGE FOR 20.
me: gosh, i really wish i had it, i'd give it to you out of my own purse, but i just don't have change for a 20.
her: MY PRINT JOB IS $7.50, ALL I HAV IS 20.
me: well, you could run to the gas station around the corner.
her: THAT IS STUPID. YOU SHOULD HAV CHANGE FOR 20.
me: well, i'm really sorry, i just don't.

*besides, even if we did, the first person we changed out would run us dry, but i didn't say that out loud*

her: WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO, ASK OTHER CUSTOMERS? THIS IS STUPID.

*god, i hope she's nicer if she asks the other customers, i also didn't say that out loud*

me: i really am sorry.
she leaves in a huff back to her computer.

later, the security guard sees her printing out her print job.
him: oh, good, you got change!
her: NO, I HAD TO USE MY LAUNDRY MONEY.