The kiddos were in rare form today. 4 available computers, sixteen kids, half an hour turns. You do the math. It was ugly.
Compounding my irritation was this very shy, overweight, quiet girl. She was in a corner crying because she couldn't get on a computer. The other kids were beating her to the sign-up sheet and she didn't have the guts to stand up for herself or say something.
Finally, someone found her crying and tried to help her, which involved them coming up to me and taking me to task for not slavishly devoting my entire day to playing ring-master to the computer circus. I offered to kick one of the more annoying kids off and sign her up, but she just sulked, pouted and went off to cry in another, harder to find corner.
Fuck you, then, says I. The meddler, a school teacher of the girl's, I guess, then spent another fifteen minutes telling me how to do my job, after which, in a rare display of temper, I pointed to the piles of books waiting to be checked in, the line of people behind her, the twenty-three books, CDs and DVDs that had to be processed so that people could take them out and the ringing telephone and asked her when exactly I would have time to make sure Terminally Shy Fat Girl could get a computer.
I wound up my diatribe saying, "Listen, I know how that girl feels. I was like her not too long ago, but lady, eventually, she's going to have to learn to stick up for herself or she'll get stepped on. People generally don't hold your hand and lead you through after a certain age."
That, I think, is actually the first time (despite my rants) that I have actually ever snapped at a patron here at the wee public library. But honestly, how much can a paraprofessional take?
(Answer: Only so much, people.)
Currents...
Currently Reading...
Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding
I've read this book many, many times, but it still makes me snort.
Currently Watching...
Naruto, PeaceMaker Kurogane, Inuyasha, One Piece (pirate anime!) and Genso Maden Saiyuki. That's right, I'm on a mad anime kick.
Currently Hearing...
PeaceMaker Kurogane OST, Naruto OST.
