Unforgotten

Today is a different day for me. Instead of ranting about all those patrons that have no real interest in us as librarians. I want to speak about one man that came into our library when I first started working at this library, right around this time of the year. He was a tall man with a wiry old beard that went half way down his chest, glasses and a baseball cap. He always wore the same clothes and I knew he was homeless.

When someone homeless comes into our library, it gives each of us a moment to pause. This one man came in every day and sat to read the paper. Most often he would stay all day in the summer months, or when it was raining outside. Most evenings when I closed up, I would have to wake him where he had fallen asleep at the paper had fallen on the floor by his feet. He said it was like home away from him. For a long time I was afraid to approach him from all the stories I had heard, but I realized he was just as human as anyone one of us.

So I braved a chance and spoke to him while he was reading none other then Homers the Odysey and I was taken by surprise. He was one of the most facinating patrons I have ever met. And it blew me away when I found out he spoke Russian. He was a well read man and before long I learned he was waiting for his wife who was in Russia. She was trying to get her green card and he was always using our computers to communicate with her.

To my surprise I found out he was truly homeless, living in his car. But one day after several months of him not coming in. (Which surprisingly worried me) He came in with his wife and daughter, clean shaven and working. She and her daughter had finally gotten their green card and moved to the States. After that day I never saw them again, but learned they had moved out of state. It was one story that has always touched my heart or hearts.

As a librarian we share many stories with our patrons, be it the smallest child or the oldest elder. We watch children come in our doors grow up and marry, and older ones leave our shelves forever. Though we may just be shadows you happen to meet at your public library, we continually watch and smile happily as time passes and our family grows.

Sincerely,

The Egg Wolfing, Exhausted Librarian