I went in to work early today and had plannnnned to be even earlier but home (Spring Break) was one crisis after another, so I found myself driving like a bat out of hell, then sprinting- literally- from my minivan into the building. I do NOT like to let anyone down, particularly my boss, who is a living saint, and was feeling a bit....flustered. As I went whipping through the workroom with a cart, headed for the drive-up, my buddy Tami all but ran into me: it was 9am on the nose and I had a customer: oh joy. This lady had a hold, and it was one of the ones with a blue stripe of paper and temporary barcode, with which I've dealt maybe once before. I- still clad in my coat, purse over one shoulder- start her transaction, and must've been positively buggy-eyed, because she leaned from her van, knocked on my window, and said, "I'm in no hurry." We kept up a running commentary as I sweated through her check-out (you add a temporary title, FYI) and she was nothing but kind and complimentary. I've always held a bit of a grudge against this patron (abuses her TL privileges) but we talked about my three kids, at home this week, and her home-schoolers, and I feel a tad sheepish now. She even complimented me on how "pulled together" she finds me: I love to hear this, as there's a stout little thick-glasses-ed, poorly-clad girl still lurking within. But wait!
Later, I had a patron on the phone, renewing items, and was feeling my blood pressure in my head: I had spent the morning (surreptitiously: I HATE for home to interfere with work) on the phone trying to get my kids out the door to the dentist with Isaiah providing transportation/finding out Sarah had broken her glasses. I was working overtime to be diligent and kind, and this very sweet person says to me, "I just love our library! Don't you? I can't believe we have such a wonderful library. I'm happy every time I'm there. The staff is so friendly and helpful." Awww..... I thanked her profusely and said I'd spread the word. Kind of makes up for the "What...If.....I....Don't......HAVE...A......Card?" fellow. I'm not, you know, stupid: I know that things tend to balance out, but it was sooooooo nice to hear the approbation today.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
And I'm so glad on your behalf that balance was achieved -- at least for a moment. How wonderful that yesterday's customers took their meds before leaving home! The work-and-home juggling act is incredible on a good day; made even worse if things are lousy at both ends. Your angels must have known that yesterday was not an appropriate time for the customer-from-hell.
Bless you, dear library girl!
Awww....thanks, Janet. As you know, the balance has tipped back today...
This morning a young lady wanted to get a card and I told her she could take an application and bring it back with a parent or guardian (under 18) and she behaved as though I'd said something like "Fill this out and have a dancing bear with you when you return." Could NOT believe I expected her to have an adult: she lives in Barberton and was just here killing time and on and on, like, I was going to change my mind if she wore me down. She ends her spiel with "I'd probably never use the card anyway!" and I was tempted to ask, "Well, why do you want one then?!" but...didn't.
Post a Comment