16 november

At the circulation desk, I sign the right form – surprisingly easy for the librarian to locate, I might add, despite the seemingly unusual nature of the request. Do many people ask for copies of card catalog cards that have been removed from the catalog? Maybe the request is more of a work order for the search through the stack. Anyway. They have found the Blind Pedestrian I am looking for.

“So, can I get it – soon?” I’d like to be polite. I am polite. Didn’t they already find it? How about now?

“Would you like to wait?” The young man wears an orange shirt with blue stripes that seem to be of varying shades at each interval. It might be an optical illusion.

“Do you know how long it might be?”

“Do you know where the card is currently located?”

Am I currently on an episode of Whose Line is it Anyway? Can you answer a question with anything other than a question?

Professionalism! “Well, I did receive a message saying that it had been found, and that if I came in and signed the form, a copy could be emailed to me... I just thought that while I was here, I might as well save someone the trouble of emailing it!” Friendliness!

Stripes seems thrown off by the change in conversational pattern. “Well.”

I smile politely, darting slight sidelong glances toward potential piles of card catalog cards (most awkward possible description).

He slow-motion follows my glances to see if I’ve found the secret stash of card catalog cards (again awkwardly described, unavoidably so). He turns his head fully from side to side, slow and lumbering in his movement. Satisfied that I have seen nothing, he turns back to face me, a piano key grin on his face.

“Well, if you want to wait, I can look into it. If I don’t find anything before closing, I can have someone email it to you.” The way this last line is delivered, it’s clear he wants it to sound like he’s delegating. The way reality works, it’s most likely he’s passing it to the next person standing in his own shoes. Probably they’re loafers. Not the people, the shoes – penny loafers.

“Sure, that’d be great. I’ll be – I’ll be here.”