He swept through the large polished oal doors, exiting the theatre. He strolled down the sidewalk keeping the collar of his crisp Victorian style cloak high up around his face, more to hide from his masses of adoring fans then to ward off the biting cold.
He took long strides as he made his way to the Library. He used the Library because no one expected him to, why would such a rich famous and attractive man use a public library?
He inconspicuously entered the new shining building by barely opening the doors just enough to slide by. He quickly strode across the room to the stacks. He stopped a few feet in though when he saw that a young strong man stood in his path.
The man bit his thumb at Geoffrey.
"Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?" asked Geoffrey, horrified that one would insult him in such a manner.
"No, sir, I do but bite my thumb." The man, Sampson, sarcastically drawled.
The bright sun beat down upon the beautiful Veronan streets.
"But do you bite your thumb at ME, sir?" Abraham said, starting to get flustered.
After a brief conference with his nearby friend, Sampson said, his own anger rising to match Abrahams "No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, SIR, I do but BITE MY THUMB, SIR!"
"Do you quarrel sir?" Sampsons friend, Gregory, said politely, but with a hidden venom.
"Quarrel sir? no sir!" Abraham said, fearful of the princes wrath lest he be caught in yet another fight.
"If you do then I am for you, I serve as good a man as you." goaded Sampson.
"No better?" Abraham said, nearly laughing as he knew his master was superior.
"Well sir," Sampson started. Gregory whispered something into his ear, "Aye, Better sir!"
"You lie," spat Abraham.
"Draw if you be men," threatened Sampson, as Abraham drew his rapier and he drew his own, "Gregory, remember thy swashing blow," he cautioned his friend as he moved to fight.
I looked around the library's lobby. Why did that man just run out of here? Why was everyone staring at me? Why did I come here? Oh yeah, I was looking for that book...
Everyone stared at Geoffrey. He bowed, then hurried off to the stacks, praying that his adoring fans wouldnt follow him.
_____
Geoffrey rushed down the sidewalk. He wore some shabby cloak that made him look like an extra from Oliver Twist or the like. He slipped into the library and walked halfway across the room before he ran into some poor fellow, one Jack Alwyn by name.
Due to his raised collar, Geoffrey didn't see Jack walking towards him. Jack, gnawing his thumb as he pondered some deep pressing concern, had just gotten up from a computer and, being deep within his own thoughts, did not see the scruffy old actor.
They collided. The man almost choked on his thumb from the impact. He yanked his digit from his mouth, and began to apologize.
"oh, I so-" he began before Geoffrey interrupted him.
"Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?" he said, projecting as only an actor can, with a look of deep insult upon his face.
"What? uhh, I guess, i was just thinking, i didnt mean to-"
"But do you bite you thumb at ME, sir?" He interrupted again, getting slightly impatient.
"No, no, I didn't mean to insult-"
"Quarrel sir? no sir" He said to the empty area right next to Jack.
Jack, now thoroughly freaked out, began to edge his way around the actor in a large radius in order to get out of the door.
"No better?" he sneered at Jack.
He froze, fearful that the lunatic had caught on to his scheme.
"You lie!" he shouted, reaching towards his hip.
Jack, imagining that the man was reaching for a gun, made a break for the door.
Geoffrey froze. his arms dropped to his sides. He looked around as though completely confused. His clothes no longer hung on him comfortably, but clung to him oddly as though he had forgotten how to wear them comfortably. Suddenly, his demeanor reverted back to when he had entered.
He bowed, then rushed off to the stacks.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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9:09 AM
ReplyDeleteThere's a man who's just come in. He's muttering to himself.
9:12 AM
He sounds ill.
9:15 AM
I think I'll get behind the counter and make sure the little gate to get there is nice and secure.
9:17 AM
I've locked the little deadbolt on the swinging gate and stacked a bunch of books on the counter so I can sit behind them. I also have the spray gun with the cockroach poison with me.
9:20 AM
Not that the man is doing anything wrong...
9:24 AM
No, never mind, he's just accosted a young man who was on the computers. I can't stand the people that come in here to just use the computers. This is a library. Books live here. Computers are like clockwork zombies compared to books. These young people, always checking their e-mail and blogging constantly about their pointless lives; I will never understand it.
9:25 AM
Oh, the young man's run out. The mumbling man just ran and hid in the stacks. How odd.
9:30 AM
Is he reciting Shakespeare?
9:32 AM
Definitely Shakespeare.
9:35 AM
I guess I'll have to deal with him; two people have already complained to me about him, and I can't be having these constant, selfish interruptions. I'd best take the cockroach spray with me.
"Excuse me, hello sir?" I'm not quite sure if he can hear me. Perhaps he is deaf. Or maybe he's only pretending to be deaf? How rude. Or maybe he's foreign. "HEL-LO?" When in doubt, speak real slow and loud. Well, he's looking at me now, at least.
"DO... YOU..." --I'm pointing at him, just to make sure he knows what 'you' means-- "NEED HEY-YULP?"
9:38 AM
Apparently he doesn't need help, he's run off and hidden behind a shelf.
9:40 AM
I've decided to ignore the man until he decides to say something sensible.
9:41 AM
But I still have the cockroach spray in easy reach.
9:42 AM
Frightened in my own library. Well, the public library that is practically mine. I'm here all the time.
9:45 AM
During work hours, at least.
9:47 AM
I shouldn't be forced to hide behind the counter in a library. Libraries should be peaceful and--
"QUIET!" Huh. Some kid tried to play music on the computer. Try again, you technological little twerp, and I'll practice my umbrella-savaging on you.
9:50 AM
I shall write to the mayor and tell him that there ought to be a background screening on people before they're allowed in my library.