Saturday 17 November 2012

I prowled off to the library

yesterday - and straight into trouble.
I like the library. It is one of my most favourite locations for prowling. Libraries are comforting places. They are full of books (and other things these days) and ideas. People read in libraries. They do reading related things in libraries.
The problem is that libraries also have humans who seem determined to make trouble. I had already had enough trouble this week. I did not need more.
I was however confronted by an angry male. He was determined to make trouble - and make trouble loudly.
He did not like me. He did not like the letter I had written to the paper, a letter I had apparently written some weeks ago. It was a disgrace. I should apologise. I was always writing letters about "that particular topic" and people were "tired of hearing (my) views".
I was totally confused. I could not remember writing the letter. I know I did write something once but it was months back - and my views were supported by other letter writers and he seemed to be supporting their point of view. It is a view which is held by a great many people. There would have been nothing controversial in what I said. If I remember correctly I was just pointing out where more information could be found.
I could not escape him. I tried to be polite. One of the male members of staff tried to intervene and got brushed off. He was going to have his say.
And then he addressed me by my name - or rather, what he thought was my name. It was obvious that he thought I was someone else entirely. Her views are controversial and radical and yes, she does tend to carry on about the same subject. Attacking her in the same way would still not have been acceptable although it would, perhaps, be more understandable.
         "I am not X..." I told him over his fizzing stream of words, "My name is Cat..."
He glared at me.
         "You write letters to the paper too don't you?"
         "Sometimes."
         "Well it applies to you too then."
He walked off with his books.
He had not had them checked out so the security alarm went off when he tried to leave.


          

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that is called Karma!

Anonymous said...

I think that is called Karma!

the fly in the web said...

It's enough to be a woman who writes to newspapers...but the punchline had me rolling. I could picture it!

jeanfromcornwall said...

I'm sorry, Cat, but I don't like you very much this morning - you made coffee fall out of my mouth when I laughed!

catdownunder said...

There is something about writing to the newspapers - but my humble apologies Jean. Hope the mess was not too great!