Must have been a group project as each appeared to be throwing his or her own ideas into the ring and a cute young redhead was moderating. Blanche approached the group surrounding one of the longer tables, stood at the shorter end and tried to get their attention to no avail. Placing both hands on the flat surface she leaned forward extending her torso closer to the cluster of youth and drummed her nails on the tabletop until they all looked in her direction and stopped talking.
She quietly whispered in a hushed tone, “I know you’re working on something as a group but we’ll need you to keep it down just a bit more than you are now, okay.”
The students responded with a flurry of responses indicating that they understood and would be quieter. A good looking guy sitting next to the redhead must have paid too much attention to the shapely librarian and as Blanche turned to walk away, the redhead gave him a swift elbow in the ribs and a look of scorn for good measure.
Working her way up to the second floor it appeared to be deserted except for a lone patron wearing a green army jacket seated in front of a computer monitor and a stack of books scattered on the table beside him. Blanche's curiosity was peaked so she wandered through the upper level appearing to be busy with adjusting books on shelves, straightening things up as she went, gradually working her way closer to the unusual stranger.
He seemed intent on what he was reading, both on the screen and the books, as he thumbed through them. The curious librarian eventually found herself directly behind him only separated by a bookshelf with his back to her. She quietly slid a handful of books aside and removed a few others to clear a path so that she could see what he was doing. He wouldn’t be the first that they’d had to reprimand for viewing illicit content with a library computer but that was not the case here. She could see the books stacked near him and each appeared to be crime related, Helter Skelter, The Stranger Beside Me, and other popular true crime novels, each with torn pieces of paper holding place throughout the titles.
The individual was also working with a notepad he held on his lap, periodically making notes then returning the pad, out of the view of others that may be passing by. It did not appear he had any idea that Blanche was behind him as he googled ‘bizarre crime stories’ and ‘shocking crime stories’.
“Must be a lover of non-fiction crime genre,” Blanche thought. “I wonder if he could use some direction.”
She left her hiding place and stepped around the end of the shelving unit to stand directly at the side of the stranger. In her most professional librarian whispered voice she said, “Is there anything I can help you with?”
It became readily apparent that he’d had no idea that the librarian was even on the same floor as himself, let alone right next to him. He bounced in the chair as if it had been electrified, sending his notepad skidding across the floor and the mouse cord being yanked from the back of the computer tower. Blanche reacted with a slight giggle but maintained her librarian demeanor in the process.
“I’m so sorry, I thought you knew I was standing next to you,” she lied.
“Holy hell lady, you about gave me a heart attack. You work here or something?” the disheveled reader reasoned.
“Yeah, I’m in charge around here in the evenings. I saw you were looking up some non-fiction material. Is there anything I can help you find?”
“No, I uh, I think I’ve got what I came for but thanks for the offer.” He couldn’t help but let his eyes wander up and down the frame of the attractive librarian.
Blanche looked directly in his eyes through the thick glasses that made his iris's look like large, green saucers. It was somehow strange that he was looking at her but not engaging her eyes directly, however, she couldn’t help but notice when those over-sized saucers looked her up and down, then came to rest back on her face with an approving smile on his lips.
Her curiosity pushed her to say, “I couldn’t help but notice you having some trouble on the steps outside. Did you get hurt?”
“No, just a little stumble was all, ever since I got injured in the Gulf War I’ve had to put up with a bum leg and bent spine.” He hunched over a bit to make his point.
“Oh, I see, sorry to hear that. Is there anything more we can do to make your experience with us more pleasant or comfortable? We love to support our troops both past and present. Will you please let me know if there is anything we can do for you?” she said, in the most pleasing way possible.
His mind was trying to process a thousand things at once. "She's getting too good a look at me, have got to distract her and make an exit. Do I have everything I need to advance our agenda? Is my disguise still holding up? Can’t see very well but don’t remove the glasses. Don’t remove the glasses! Damn this librarian is hot, reminds me of Virginia May, filthy slut. Nothing like what I expected — no dusty shelves and a tasty treat as a librarian. Focus damn it, focus!"
He tried to get his thoughts sorted and his tongue under control before he said something stupid or telling.
“That’s really nice of you but I think I’m finished and I’ll be on my way shortly.” Is what he said but what he was thinking was, “Hell yes, there is something you can do for me, set yourself up here on this table and let’s have a go.” The wicked thought brought a smile to his face as he let that little fantasy play out in his mind, if only for a moment.
“Do you want to take these books with you?” Blanche said, pointing to the pile of books on the table.
“No, I just wanted to take a look through them for now and I don’t have a library card anyway,” he replied.
“We can take care of that if you like, come with me and we’ll get you a card,” she said reassuringly, as she scooped up the books in an effort to help him.
He suddenly thrust out his hand and slammed the books back to the tabletop. Blanche stepped back in shock at his reaction to her assistance and he could tell she was upset.
“Don’t mind me, just don’t like folks helping me if you know what I mean.” Motioning to the cane.
“I see, would you like me to take these and put them away for you?” she said, relaxing a bit but still on her guard.
“I can get it, don’t like to make work for anybody. I’ll just get my things and be on my way.”
He stood using the cane to steady himself and retrieved the notepad from the floor. Blanche, still trying to be helpful, plugged the mouse back in, then instructed the odd character to leave the books on the end of the table and she’d make sure someone put them away. He smiled but she could tell he was determined to clean up the items he’d used and be gone. She retreated to the main desk just as the students were leaving for the day and offered a cheerful goodbye to each as they waved on their way home or elsewhere for the evening. A moment later she could see the hunched over man descending the stairs leading to the foyer. One hand wrapped tightly around the notebook he seemed to prize and the other manipulating the cane as he worked his way down the steps.
She felt a certain degree of pity for him; the sacrifice of those in the service of their country had always held a soft spot in her heart. She had family members who had served and offered the greatest sacrifice of all to defend her freedoms and she respected those that were willing to serve. Her heart filled with appreciation for this crippled individual as she struggled to understand him, if only in a cursory way. He passed by the desk, tipping his eyes to look over the lenses at her, gave her a friendly nod and shuffled toward the exit. A tear came to her eye as she felt true compassion for his plight and that’s when something struck her as unusual, no, different.
Looking at him from this angle it looked like he was holding the cane in his left hand and limping with the right. Her mind flashed back to the image of him climbing the steps earlier. She was sure he had used the cane in the right hand and limped with the left. Watching him carefully now, he stopped at the exit door, tucked the notepad under his left arm and used the right to open the door, leaving the cane in the left. With the door open he returned the notepad to the right and limped his way out the door, dragging the right leg.