Just in case you thought I was exaggerating about the library story time thing last week, the Kensington Blog has done a post on it.
See, I told you so! I did not go back this week, so I didn't witness the story time security guard. Oh, the drama.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
It's a MILF-Eat-MILF World
For the past three weeks, V and I have been trying to get to the 10am Toddler Story Time at the library near our apartment. The first week we wanted to go, we ended up at the doctor's office instead, because the horrible cough she's had for weeks had gotten worse overnight. Diagnosis: garden-variety cough caused by post-nasal drip. Hmph.
So the next week, we turned up at the library at 10:01am. A librarian rushed us at the door, explaining that we were too late, we'd have to try again at 4pm, or next week, and meanwhile, did we have a flyer for the upcoming klezmer concert and the kids' reading program? Um, no. She bustled around and shoved papers at us, not content to let us browse in peace. In order to appease her, I filled out the form to get V a library card, even though I don't really think she needs her own library card yet (she's two, people!). I could hear toddlers clapping and singing behind a closed door, but every time I glanced toward it, the librarian snapped at me. "NO! You are too late!" We tried hanging out and looking at books for a while, but she kept hovering over us so we finally left.
This morning, I got V all gussied up in ponytails and a "pitty dess, mama!" and we headed out with time to spare. We walked in at 9:55 and found a long line of moms and toddlers waiting to go in the story time room. We got into line, pleased that we'd finally made it. V was smiling and excited. But as the moms started filing into the room, I noticed that they were handing the librarian tickets. Wait, tickets? I had no ticket. Several moms noticed this at the same time as I did, and they pushed past me with scornful looks.
"You have to have a ticket, you know."
"Why don't you come back at 4 o'clock?"
"You don't have a ticket?"
Was it my imagination, or were they gloating? Abashed, I went over to the circulation desk and asked where I might get a ticket. The librarian (not the overeager one from last week, but a different, angry-looking one) told me that the tickets were gone, and I should have arrived when they opened, at 9, to stand in line for a ticket. She shoved a library schedule at me.
Yeah, I have the library schedule already. You know what it says? It says story time is at 10am. It doesn't say that you have to show up at 9am and stand in line for a fucking ticket, or else be sneered at by all the other mommies and run off by the librarian. Welcome to New York, right?
Fuck story time.
So the next week, we turned up at the library at 10:01am. A librarian rushed us at the door, explaining that we were too late, we'd have to try again at 4pm, or next week, and meanwhile, did we have a flyer for the upcoming klezmer concert and the kids' reading program? Um, no. She bustled around and shoved papers at us, not content to let us browse in peace. In order to appease her, I filled out the form to get V a library card, even though I don't really think she needs her own library card yet (she's two, people!). I could hear toddlers clapping and singing behind a closed door, but every time I glanced toward it, the librarian snapped at me. "NO! You are too late!" We tried hanging out and looking at books for a while, but she kept hovering over us so we finally left.
This morning, I got V all gussied up in ponytails and a "pitty dess, mama!" and we headed out with time to spare. We walked in at 9:55 and found a long line of moms and toddlers waiting to go in the story time room. We got into line, pleased that we'd finally made it. V was smiling and excited. But as the moms started filing into the room, I noticed that they were handing the librarian tickets. Wait, tickets? I had no ticket. Several moms noticed this at the same time as I did, and they pushed past me with scornful looks.
"You have to have a ticket, you know."
"Why don't you come back at 4 o'clock?"
"You don't have a ticket?"
Was it my imagination, or were they gloating? Abashed, I went over to the circulation desk and asked where I might get a ticket. The librarian (not the overeager one from last week, but a different, angry-looking one) told me that the tickets were gone, and I should have arrived when they opened, at 9, to stand in line for a ticket. She shoved a library schedule at me.
Yeah, I have the library schedule already. You know what it says? It says story time is at 10am. It doesn't say that you have to show up at 9am and stand in line for a fucking ticket, or else be sneered at by all the other mommies and run off by the librarian. Welcome to New York, right?
Fuck story time.
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