Then - rain, thunder, roaring ocean! The library patrons froze like rabbits as the power flickered and died. We chased the rabbits out into the rain and locked the place down. On the way home, a soggy cop dragged a tree off the road and gestured for our cars to follow him, driving through flash floods and waiting for the rest of our sissy vehicles to make it safely through the waters.
We gathered all the stinky decorative candles and hid from the lightning under the couch blanket and told stories of Before You Were Born until the boys fell asleep and left us to read by booklight. (That last sentence is for Cormac McCarthy, who hates punctuation as much as he hates unicorns and puppy dogs - except to eat.)
I dreamed of light.
Next time the sun comes out, you might want to check the library roof.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I had to go up there, leaves had mulched into dirt and seeds sprouted growing verdant wild plants that clogged the drains and formed a small pond that might have brought down the roof eventually.
PS If you are the one to go up be careful, it's harder to get back down then up. :-(
Were you up on our roof? Was it made of cottage cheese then? Because it is now. Which is why I have a slavey-man to go up there and chuck bags of leaves onto passersby; my natural grace is such that I have a hard time staying atop my swivel chair - no need to tempt fate with high heels, a spongy roof, and a long fall.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've been on the roof. I used to have your job for 7 years. (don't tell anyone you heard from me, seriously, particularly Irene for your own good.)
ReplyDeleteA little history about the building. Before it was built the community made three main suggestions. 1)Solar power a/c ( not technologically possible in Hana then or now.)2) Not having a flat roof, cause Hana is a rain forest. (Rejected, and the flat roof needed repair within 5 years. I always suspected that might be intentional to make work for an "Old boy.") 3) Separate offices for the school and public librarians, cause sharing would cause trouble. (Rejected and yes of course it caused trouble.
The roof was not scary spongy, and after I got tired of waiting for DAGS to clear the drains I went up on a Sunday and pulled out the plants clogging the drains and threw them over the side. I also dug out what was clogging the drains at the ground level and drained the pond on the roof. Eventually I think the drains were cleared but that was about 10 years ago.
Ah, yes, I have heard tales; evidently all my predecessors were depraved lunatics. I hope I leave them with some good stories.
ReplyDeleteLunatic maybe, but by Hana standards I was practically a monk. :-) Happy to see you seem to be thriving.
ReplyDelete