Story of the Day

I was in the library today. That was the Trans-Central Branch of the Multnomah Library. They are re-building the main branch of our library so while the construction is going on we get to use this make-shift library in an office building downtown. Don't get me wrong, this temporary library is pretty good. There are plenty of shelves and plenty of books and magazines. Lots of stuff to take out or to peruse in place. I do look forward to the re-opening of the main building though.

As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I was in the library today. I go there quite often to use many of the services they provide. I borrow books, CDs, and tapes. I read magazines I can't or won't subscribe to. And occasionally, I use the refenence materials. I really feel sorry for someone who has no adequate library where they live.

The Internet can substitute for only a little of what a good library provides. Sure you can review all kinds of references on the net. You can conduct research using the net's data resources. Many magazines have a web presence now. But the net doesn't have enough street people on it. You can't see them enter and take a place. They don't just come in to sleep or get warm or stay dry. They actually use the resources available in the library. Many of them have a much greater understanding of the facilities than your average suburbanite (oops! my biases are showing).

The net doesn't have coughers. Especially the ones with the phleghmy, liquidy, rolling coughs. They annoy me much more than the average street person. The other day, I watched a young man cough all over the magazine he was looking at. He never even raised his hand to cover his mouth. I can just imagine all of the tiny droplets of spittle he sprayed the pages with. Yeech!

The net doesn't have stinkers. Not just the unwashed smell up the library. It is a toss up for me whether the unwashed or the ultra perfumed are worse. A slight wiff of any smell can be gotten used to but those that reach out and grab you by the nose are to be avoided if possible. Sometimes it is too late though. They seep into your nose-hairs and don't want to leave for anything. The smokers bring in their auras of burnt cigarette that prompty attach themselves to their neighbors.

See, I am not saying what you thought I would about the streeters. Let them be. So long as I don't have to be one of them and they don't force themselves on me any more than anyone else, I don't mind.

February 2, 1996

Comments welcome

Jack Jackson ( jjack@bearinmind.org )