It is a grey day. Not a gloomy day. But the sky is wet.
Outside there is a tree with orange leaves. The air is heavy with mist and rain. This is the weather for which Portland is known.
Across from me an older man is checking his email. He wears a jean jacket and has a graying beard. He asked the librarian for help logging into his account.
The table has a blonde wood finish. And there are spaces created for electrical outlets. But this table does not have any for use. I am alone at the table to the g-mail checker now. He is using one of four computers at one end of the table.
Someone has placed a large backpack on a chair across from me. It is blue and grey. The kind a hiker might take on a day trip.
The librarian is named Carol. She introduced herself to someone on the phone. She is working on stacks of books at the service desk. The service desk sits in front of the table.
A balding man comes and moves his backpack. He sits down and begins to read a magazine. There is an ad for a watch on the back cover. He is wearing a light-gray jacket.
The library is quiet today. There is a hum of conversation. Mostly kids playing in their own corner. But they are not disturbing. The gmail checker is reading emails. His hat has “KB HOMES” on the front. On his left hand is a ring of jade or turquoise.
A man with a beard and brown hair sits at one of the computers. He explained to the librarian he is using his girlfriends account. He has brown hair and beard. The man is wearing a long-sleeved shirt. It has a grid pattern and is a neutral colour.
An older woman has sat next to me. She is on her phone. And now looking at a pamphlet on the table in front of her.
The backpack man is reading the New Yorker.
The library carpet is a dark grey colour. It is a carpet designed for heavy use. The kind which doesn’t show stains. Outside the wind is blowing gently through the leaves of the trees. And rocking the signal lights back and forth.
A older man has joined us at the table. The New Yorker reader has gotten up.
There is a cute woman talking to the librarian. A short black dress which falls just below her knees. Her shoes are black and white. They match the black and white shirt. Her hair is curly. It is cut just above her shoulders. The girl with the dyed red locks walks away.
Now it is just three of us. The woman on her phone. The g-mail checker and I.
There isn’t much foot traffic outside because of the weather.
A woman with an orange shirt and a bead necklace just sat down next to me. She is using the computer. The one next to me is for checking their catalog.
The woman on her phone has a flier. It is offering help on college application essays. There is a light bulb on the flier. And inside the bulb, “get inspired.” The woman in orange has gotten up. She had a stack of books.
Carol is back at her desk. A young girl comes to the desk for help. She is in the fourth grade. She wears black tights, a pink skirt or dress with a neon lime green sweatshirt. She has a pink hair tie. Her hair in a pony tail.
She is practicing a volleyball serve. But she doesn’t have a ball. The front of her sweatshirt has a Nike logo. Her shoes are black, with a pink lining. The soles are white.
Whatever she is looking for is checked out. The librarian told her the books are popular. She suggests putting the books on hold.
There is another girl with a huge instrument. She is reading a book. She stands at the bookcase with brown boots, a denim skirt and blue sweatshirt. Her long brown hair falls down her back.
A blonde with a pink coat just sat down at the computer. It is one for internet use. Her ear rings are large and diamond shaped. She has a piercing in her eye brow. On her legs are black tights with fashionable rips along the side. She is wearing a red mini-skirt.
Outside the weather is the same. Grey and wet. The girl with the instrument walks around looking at books.
The blonde has a big ring on her right hand. It is silver with a yellow glass or stone. The woman on her phone has left with her son.
Large windows sit in front of me, with a view of the street. I can see the wet city. The leaves of the trees, some orange and some green. The sky is a grey white, like a building across the street. There is a slight breeze right now.
A man is at Carols desk. He is trying to help someone on the phone. Based on his facial expressions he is confused.
The girl with the Nike sweatshirt is yelling at her brother. “What’s wrong with you?” They are leaving with their mother.
The blonde woman is still on the computer. On her left hand she has more silver rings. One on her pinkie and one on her ring finger. She has sunglasses pushed up on her head. But today is not a day for sunglasses.
A man sits near the window ledge. One leg he has on the floor, and the other propped on the ledge. He is using a laptop. He is sitting in a chair. From where I sit I can only see his blue jeans and brown shoes. He has gotten up.
The blonde has quit using the computer. It is just me and the older man checking his email. This is more interesting when someone attractive is sitting across from me. The man takes off his glasses, rubs his nose, replaces them. He looks ready to get up. And now I sit alone at the table.
Two men are looking at movies. The young man still sitting next to the window. Across the street is the Armark building. But their sign is using the sloppy but “cool” lack of capital letters theme. I don’t see how it is cool. Maybe it was before it became so overdone.
Carol is walking around the library. The hot librarian I have a crush on isn’t here today.
A woman walking by the window pushes her hair from her face. The library is so quiet.
A woman just came in with two kids. The boy directed Carol to sign him into an iPad.
The cute woman with the red hair is back. From this angle she looks older. She has a lanyard with a library identification badge.
A man has sat down at the computer. He is wearing a short-sleeved green T-shirt. His short graying brown hair matches his beard.
The red-haired librarian is chatting with Carol. I would guess she is late 30s. Her hair tucked behind her ears, she has a cute face. Her eyes are expressive and her lips full.
She is helping a couple with some books. An older man wearing a black coat is looking at the libraries CD collection.
Someone coughs. The couple are waiting for the librarian to come back to the desk. She has black pants and a white top. They are gone now.
And it is just the red-head. She has her glasses on. She is using the computer. She has the mouse in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. She has thin arms. And a round full face. Her mouth is small, with dimples at the corners. She has a little round chin. When she smiles you can see hints of her front teeth.
She is typing and reading. Outside people wander by the windows. We all pass through each other’s lives, but we don’t even see each other. Do we even see the people we think we see? How could we, they are all ourselves. If we think we see someone else, we are seeing nothing.
The librarian looks over her glasses. Then through her glasses. With a finger she pushes them up on her nose. Her black and white blouse has puffy sleeves. Her nails are not manicured. She is a pretty woman, but in a basic beauty. Her hair isn’t red. You can tell it is a dye job because it isn’t a natural colour. But it looks good. It is more of a maroon colour.
The boy is quietly using the iPad, and his sister sits next to him doing her own thing. I don’t know technology is a great tool for kids after all.
Right now it is 5:11. I will write until 5:30 and stop.
The librarian twirls her hair in her fingers. She is looking at something on her desk. Now back to the screen. Right now it is me, the librarian, the two kids and three people looking at movies in this part of the library.
I wonder if the librarian’s hair is curly from her twirling it with her fingers. She takes a swig from her drink and goes back to her work. Typing and using the mouse. The blonde is back and talking the man in the green shirt. It appears they know each other. She also has a small ring in her nose.
Her hair is clearly dyed. But it works. She has a pretty face, and it matches her skin tone. She doesn’t have makeup on. And she doesn’t need it. Her hair is long, past her shoulders and down her back.
The two are talking quietly. But they seem to be talking about apartments. A woman stands next to the table with a stack of books and a copy of the New Yorker. I hope it was her copy, because she just put it in her bag.
The librarian is biting her nails. Leaning on one arm, she fidgets with her glasses case. The blonde is now outside. She is taking a picture with her phone of someone’s bike. She has a backpack on. I can’t see what she is doing now from where I sit.
She puts her phone away in her pocket. She has a bike of her own. She pushes it up the sidewalk.
The librarian reminds me of my ex-girl friend. I wonder if she is also a Taurus.
Aren’t we lucky to have noses to keep our glasses on our faces. The librarian has a cute nose. And the phone rings, but I couldn’t understand her name.
This is not a busy day at the library.
The weather outside is more of a stay at home and nap weather. The librarian is explaining “Lucky Day” books to the caller. The librarian is dressed modestly, the neckline of her outfit is square and doesn’t show cleavage. Her strong shoulders are visible though.
A man with his two kids walks by the window outside. A girl on a skateboard with helmet in hand. More children and a mother walk passed the window. Outside the wind is brushing the trees. Inside there is a still in the air.
I have two minutes. A young boy in unhappy about it being time to leave. “NOOO!”
A woman it looking at the movies. She wears black pants and a black top. A green shirt is visible under the black over-shirt. It has pin stripes of black. Her hair is up in a bun.