Brennig Jones (and friends)

…said my dealer doctor before handing over that magical bit of paper that provides (at a small price) access to seratonin/endorphin-enhancing pharmaceuticals.

So, here’s a small example of what we altruistic (ahem) library staff have to deal with.

This evening, three well-known (to us) young (mid-teen, perhaps) lads came in.  That’s fine.  So far, so good.  Apart from breaking the relative peace of the building they were doing no harm.

They went and sat by one of the radiators, tucked away in a corner.  They were a bit loud, but not enough that anyone had cause to complain, so I left them to it.  I was busy with some highly important library-detective work.

One of the lads beckoned me over to ask where the ‘Where’s Wally’ books were.  I showed him.  All is well, still.

Ten minutes passes.

One of the young lads decides it’s time to run around throwing teddy bears.

Obviously.

So, T, a young lad himself (but a ‘nice’ young lad), who is one of our Casual staff, asked them to pack it in.

I went over and looked at them, and said that if they continue to mess about, they’ll be back out in the cold.

The one lad looked at his mate and said “that’s a bit cuntish, innit?”

So I said “OK, now you can leave.”

To much protestation from all.

I went on to say that “you can’t talk to people like that” and “I’m not arguing with you – out!”

I didn’t shout.  My voice may have been slightly raised.

But, oh, the injustice.

“I never said anything – it was ‘im!”

“Well, you should choose your friends more wisely.  If you stay, he’ll just come back.  Off you go.”

And that was that.

I wonder if I was a bit harsh.

I mean, I swear.  In fact, what I wanted to say was ‘You don’t FUCKING talk to people like that, you little shit!  Do you understand? Now fuck off back to the gutter’. But of course, I didn’t.

Perhaps this is just their way of speaking.  I mean, earlier in the day there were a couple of girls who can’t have been older than 15/16 who were talking about ‘fucking this’ and ‘fucking that’.  Not even trying to curb their language while I, or anyone else, was in earshot. And it was just natural conversation – I don’t think they were trying to appear more adult or cooler or anything like that.

And it’s just words, I know, it’s all the evolving language that is English.  Personally, I don’t care what sort of language people use amongst themselves.  But surely in a place of work there has to be certain rules – especially when that place of work is a public library.

The other thing is, he was probably just saying it to get a rise out of me.  And I guess he did.  I validated his presence by acknowledging him.  Maybe that is how it works in his house.  Perhaps he is only acknowledged when he plays up.  And that makes me sad.  But that doesn’t mean I have to put up with him calling me ‘cuntish’, to my face, in my place of work, does it?

Twat.