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Now available for preorder:
The San Francisco Panorama.
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- - - - Dispatch 29 (5/27/08) The Firemen I don't like calling 911. It makes a part of me feel like I can't handle situations. The only thing worse than calling 911 is calling 911 twice in one night. Call No. 1 A young patron reported a man on the floor in the restroom twitching. I investigated the restroom and saw there was indeed a man on the ground twitching with his shoes and socks off. He was not responsive. 911 was called, and firemen were immediately sent out. Female staff were alerted so they could primp themselves on account of firemen being in the building. Firemen went in the restroom, asked the man what was going on, and he explained he was just changing his socks. The man left quickly and refused examinations from the firemen. Call No. 2 When the page reported to me that a woman was sleeping and would not wake up, I was not alarmed. Some people are just deep sleepers. When I saw who the woman was (a regular who was known for wandering around the library mumbling incoherently), I figured she was just trying to avoid being asked to leave. I yelled that the library was closing and she would need to leave ... she didn't wake up; I banged on the chair and window next to her ... she didn't wake up; I nudged her leg ... she didn't wake up. I did all that I could for the woman, so I decided it was time to call 911. I explained to the dispatcher that the woman was breathing but would not wake up. I added that her position may indicate that she'd had a stroke. Female staff were alerted so they could primp themselves on account of the firemen being in the building. The firemen arrived promptly and spent five minutes trying to wake the woman up. When she finally rose, she seemed a bit surprised at all the men surrounding her. She smiled, and appeared to be flirting. The firemen told her they wanted to take her to the hospital to get checked out, but she declined. She abruptly stood, straightened her shirt, wiped away the drool, and said she would be fine walking home. She left the men and went outside the library for a smoke. I was a bit disappointed. I wished neither of the patrons anything bad ... just that at least one of them would be taken away, so I didn't look like just a troublemaking librarian. - - - - Scott's new book, Quiet, Please: Dispatches From a Public Librarian, is available in bookstores now. - - - -
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