It was a 5 am split from Bedlam for a 10 am library show in my former hometown of Madison, CT today. I got to town early enough to do my meditation by the LI sound, with the sea breeze and the sound of the waves and gulls.
It was good to see Miss Jane, the children’s librarian of the Scranton Library, still tending to her job, and glad she still welcomed me back. And she reminded me of what kind of person excels in this job. She got up and played, danced and sang with the kids and set the example for the adults and kids of why we have libraries in our communities.
It was a small crowd and a mix of grand moms, a dad with a roaming toddler son, kids and moms. I’m still perplexed with some kids refusing to sing along or dance – I chalk it up to TV as well as white suburban culture, but then again, some kids and adults did jump right in, as did Miss Jane.
As I loaded up for the drive back, Jane reflected on the small turn out, especially with a sign up of ~ 45 kids. Yes, it’s summer and it was a beautiful day, but Jane also says she wonders about her community. She puts in maximum effort, which includes finding the money for her programs, and has spotty returns in this affluent town.
Interestingly, as I pulled out, I noticed a table outside the post office with a large poster of Obama with a Hitler mustache, placards about Benghazi and impeach the president. I was reminded why I was never comfortable in this town.