Open Finished A Day in the Life of a Librarian

Hope the Bard · Jun 4, 2020

Conrad sighed, the view outside the Manta Carlos Library offering him little respite.

Today was a slow day. He'd finished the book series he was reading and honestly, checking all of these books against The Library's records (which yes, did require him to constantly enter and exit The Library - the pages of his mind had been read way so many times to the point that he wondered why the entity checking it even bothered anymore) was getting really tiring. Plus the lifting - ohhhh, the lifting...

He'd lifted and moved about so many books, reshelved and reorganised a whole section of the library and there was still so much to do.

"Someone..." he sighed, mostly to himself as he sat at the help desk. No one in the library was paying him any attention, which made sense he supposed. "Please break the monotony..."

EmiRose · Jun 4, 2020

Cosette rarely found herself in the city's library, the library at the school usually had every book she needed for her classes. But today Cosette didn't have time to stop by the school; she had a tight schedule and only an hour or so to fetch the book she needed after work. Cosette had learned her lesson from all the times she had gotten lost in the school's library, so this time she went straight to the desk where a librarian, a young man, sat and looked free enough to help Cosette find what she needed.

Cosette, ever so slightly winded from jogging, her hair bit ruffled up and a bit of flour on her flushed cheeks (which all didn't really do anything to hinder her supernatural beauty), walked to the desk and gave the librarian a gentle smile.
"Um, excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but could you help me, please?"
Cosette asked with her French accented voice, trying to be as polite and nice as possible. Cosette knew how rough it was to be in a customer service job, after all.
"I need to find a certain book, could you show me where the French literature section is?"

Hope the Bard · Jun 5, 2020

Conrad looked up as someone entered, heading straight towards the help desk and sending a huge bolt of hope to his heart. Finally something to break the monotony. He uttered a quick thanks to whatever gods were up there in this alternate before offering the girl a polite smile and closing up his notebook. "Yes, certainly." He smiled, beginning to lead the way to the section as requested - it was on another floor of the library.

"Do you speak French?" He asked, using the polite form in that language. "It's not every day I find a fellow Francophone."

EmiRose · Jun 7, 2020

Cosette took the small pause while the librarian spoke to pat her hair a bit, she knew it must've been out of order. She returned the smile and let out a small relieved breath that the librarian didn't seem too bothered.
"Thank you very much."
Cosette thanked, and followed along. She made sure to remember the way, because she occasionally read French novels and might need to visit the library again.

Cosette was surprised when the librarian spoke to her in French, no one had done that in a long time on the island. Cosette's smile turned delighted and she brought her hands together in a subtle gesture of excitement.
"Well yes, France is my homeland! Oh, please do speak informally, I am no one important enough to warrant such formality."
Cosette answered in French, and chuckled. She had just spent several months back home speaking nothing but French, but it still felt nice to speak it in a place where Cosette had to use mainly English.

"Thank you so much for speaking to me in my native tongue, it's very refreshing."
Cosette spoke with sincerity and joy and her expression reflected that, though she tried to not be too loud or sound too excited since they were in a library and this was a complete stranger who was just helping her because it was their job.

Hope the Bard · Jun 12, 2020

Conrad smiled warmly - he knew the sense of joy that came from hearing your own language.

"It's nothing," he began, using the casual form as requested. He beamed a little. The girl looked nice. Pure. But then again, his line of work taught him that looks were most definitely not to be trusted. But then again, things were different here, or so he was told. He had yet to even encounter criminal behaviour, but he did suppose he saw reports in the news... it was definitely something he often saw in the paper. (And yes, he did read the paper. He always preferred the printed form to technology; more trustworthy when evil spirits could easily possess a tablet or phone. But that seemed not to be the case here, thankfully.)

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." He smiled, quoting Nelson Mandela. Or at least, a Mandela. With so many alternates, speeches tended to vary, even if a lot of them held the same spirit. It was one thing that reassured the man, reminded him that everyone really was unique, even alternate versions of the same person had different experiences and behaviours, even if the differences were rather marginal.

"Are you a fan of French literature, then? I've always had a certain interes with it, even though I haven't dabbled much. I'll admit I've read Kiffe Kiffe Demain - it was quite the eye-opener, I'll admit. It teaches you things about the harsh truth of life in the Paris suburbs and breaks the dreamlike filter one often has when one pictures the city. It really brings to light the duality of--" he cut himself short, a flush reaching his cheeks.

"Sorry," he muttered, still using the language. "I get a bit excited sometimes and blabber on for a while..."

EmiRose · Jun 12, 2020

"It's something, if it someone happy. And it did. Make me happy, that is."
Cosette answered, still gladly speaking French, and chuckled. Though her face looked slightly in awe when the librarian said words that were quite wise, and deep. Cosette really liked it when words were used in such a way. What is it called? Symbolic way.

"That was beautiful. Were those your own words? If so, I admire you."
Cosette complimented, her entire being radiating admiration and sincerity. Cosette was more and more convinced that all librarians were wise and knowledgeable, Selkiris and now this person supported that belief.
Dear, Cosette had met many librarians during a short period of time...

Kiffe Kiffe Demain. Now there was truly a nostalgic name. Cosette's eyes widened slightly as she listened to the librarian talk about the book, interest clear in her eyes. But then the librarian stopped himself and Cosette smiled a little, waving her hand slightly.
"Think nothing of it, please. I'm very interested in hearing your thoughts. I have read that book as well, when I was younger. Oh dear, I was completely oblivious then."
Cosette covered her mouth as she chuckled.
"I was fairly new to human society, I barely knew how to read. I didn't understand any references or slang in the book and my friends genuinely believed I had grown up under a rock when I asked about them. Which I suppose wasn't too far from the truth."
Cosette was still chuckling, almost laughing, at herself and then she realized how much personal information she had shared. But that didn't alarm her, rather...

"I'm sorry, now I'm the one blabbering, and not even about the book itself. Ah, but I'm afraid I can't share many of my own thoughts, it has been a long time since I have read the book. I must refresh my memory and read it again."

Hope the Bard · Jun 12, 2020

Conrad had mumbled a quick thank you to the compliment, attributing the praise to Nelson Mandela in reply before he had continued the conversation.

He laughed with her at her tale, listening attentively. It was just...nice. To have someone actually talk to him and not just ignore him and walk straight to their section. A lot of the library users didn't even give so much as a good morning or hello. This person was a nice exception.

"It's quite alright," he reassured her. "I don't mind. It's always a wonderful thing to hear other people's stories, in my eyes," he said, smiling up into the distance. "It's the reason why I like to lose myself in books so much. 'A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only once', after all." He quoted George R.R Martin this time. "I might re-read it too. You always notice the little details the second time around, I find." He smiled.

"But alas, it seems as though we have found the literature section," he admitted with slight disappointment, shoulders slumping. "And I was so enjoying our conversation..." In fact, some of his true personality had slipped into their talk. Perhaps a bit too much. Being on such a peaceful island had made him soft. He chided himself slightly for not keeping to the chill college graduate persona.

EmiRose · Jun 12, 2020

Cosette let out a small embarrassed laugh at learning that the words were not indeed the librarian's own but quoted, but that didn't change a lot. Loaning quotes from others wiser than you also showed your own intelligence. It was still impressive that the person knew enough and could apply the words to this particular situation.

"Then perhaps this time around I will understand more since I now understand the references."
Cosette in turn commented and chuckled. This librarian was quite pleasant, and he really knew a lot, even quoting another person. Or at least Cosette assumed he was quoting someone, the words had that kind of air to them, so to say.
"But those words really ring with truth, books can be magical. I'm not the most avid reader these days, but when I do I rarely am able to put the book down once I get immersed."

Their conversation got cut short once they arrived to the section, and Cosette's shoulders slumped similarly to Conrad's. She gave Conrad a gentle but slightly hesitant smile.
"I would ask you to remain and continue the conversation slightly longer, but you must have work to do. Thank you for speaking with me, it was a very nice addition to my day, Mr...Oh, I do not know your name."
Cosette let out a short, embarrassed laugh and blushed just slightly from embarrassment.
"And I cannot possibly just call you Mr. Librarian. I'm Cosette, Cosette Cygne. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Hope the Bard · Jun 12, 2020

"I know exactly what you mean," he'd affirmed with a knowing smile.

"Conrad," he replied. "Conrad Jackson," he pulled out of thin air as he searched for a surname, pointing at his nametag that displayed his first name in black embossed over a silvery metal. Classy, he'd thought to himself. And they'd cleverly avoided using actual silver, to accommodate for werewolves. "And...if you're up to it, I wouldn't mind continuing our conversation. Some other time if you're busy right now." He smiled. "I work here most weekdays and the occasional weekend, and am around pretty much all day."

EmiRose · Jun 12, 2020

"You had a name tag? How could I have missed that..."
Cosette dreaded out loud and blushed some more, briefly covering her face. She was making a fool of herself. Well, that was nothing new, really. Cosette often missed things because she got distracted easily, after all.
"Ah, but I would gladly talk with you further. I'm afraid it has to be another day, I actually have a time limit today."
Cosette continued and lowered her hands, giving Conrad a shy smile, still reeling back from her little mishap.
"If you would not mind me stopping by, perhaps the day after tomorrow. I have my noon off."

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