I was sitting up at the kiosk, looking at the book presentation that I have to do next week when a man came up to me holding his library card up.
Man: I want to sign up please.
Since he already had a library card, I knew he was not talking of signing up for one of those. I was confused.
Me: Sign up for what, sir?
Man (impatiently): Sign up for a computer!!
I smiled and said, ‘Oh, you don’t need your library card to use our computers. Just choose one and start working!’
He stared at me for full five seconds and then said, ‘Your computers don’t work, do they?’
I was, naturally, taken aback by this presumption.
‘They work fine sir. Just choose anyone.’
It was morning hours and the library was relatively empty. Just a handful of customers were using the computers.
He walked over to one, and as he pulled the chair to sit down, he said in a loud voice, ‘You are shitting me! Your computers don’t work!’
I turned towards him again and assured him in a most pleasant voice that they do work and he should try to use one.
He pushed the chair back in loudly, walked towards the elevator and told me loudly, ‘I am going to __________ County library, where the computers actually work!!!!’
All I could do was stare at his receding back dumbfounded.
I felt a surge of anger at the unfairness which was promptly replaced by hilarity as I shared the story with my coworkers.
Later, I thought from his perspective. Experience must have taught him nothing is free in life. If you are offered free service, it must not be just that good.
I wish he had given our free service a chance 🙂 ! But…..oh well!
whatmamathinks 