Tuesday, June 23, 2009

We Have Something For Everyone


drawing by W.S. Gilbert

Early evening.
A couple looking to be in their late twenties approached the desk. The man asked if we had westerns. "Yes we do," I said, and walked them both back to those shelves. As the man started looking at the books, the woman turned to me and whispered, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure," I said.
"Do you have pornography, like?"
As it happens, the short-story anthologies are shelved right next to the westerns, and several collections of erotic short stories are right there, at eye level. I pulled them out for her, and as she browsed the covers, turned some pages, and murmured "Oh, this looks nice," her companion looked up from the westerns with a big smile on his face and said, "Take your time, hon, this is gonna take me a while."
I walked back and cut two more "happy customer" notches in my desk.

3 comments:

Clytie said...

What a cute story of not-so-innocent youth! Made me blush and giggle at the same time.

Beth Niquette said...

Hahahaa...yep, blush and giggle. How funny! You do run into the most interesting scenerios, my dear!

Sharon Kugler said...

There is nothing - nothing - like being a librarian in a large, urban public library. I have the best job in the world.