Deadsville

Tuesday night's shift at the Indiana Room desk was the slowest I have ever seen the Indiana Room. Although the desk is not usually very busy, there are generally a good amount of people in the room either studying quietly, using the microfilm, or researching in the genealogy and grant computers. On Tuesday there were never more than three (3) people in the room at a time, and two of those people were there the whole time I was (and they are regulars). I spent most of the time transcribing (which I finished on Wednesday! Such a relief).

The odd thing was, that although the room was the deadest I've ever encountered, I had one of the most frustrating phone calls in the whole time I've been interning at MCPL (although I guess 5 months is not very long - but I did work the main reference desk for 3 of those months! That has to count for something!). A woman called the Indiana Room wanting the number for the Bed Bath and Beyond store in Greenwood. She was already in an awful mood, and kept telling me not to take a really long time, and also launched into her awful experience she just had at the store she wanted the number for. She started insulting everyone under the age of 30 (of which I am one) because apparently we all think we know everything and are spoiled know-it-alls. While she is ranting, I Googled the number and when it doesn't show up there, I go to the stores website to do a store locater which usually has the phone number. Apparently Bed Bath and Beyond does not list their phone numbers online. I then have to try to put the phone down for a minute to go across the room to get the phone book. While I try to do so, the woman keeps going on about how she needs the number and not to take forever to get it. I was literally stuck listening to her rant about how long I was taking because she would not let me put the phone down to get the phone book! Finally I put her on hold, got the number for her and gave it to her, thinking that we would then hang-up and I could get back to my business and she could rant to the next person. Nope. That was not to be. She spent the next 5-10 minutes with her rant about Bed Bath and Beyond, as well as those horrible spoiled under-30's and how they don't have to work for anything. All I know is that I am under 30, and I was working very hard to keep my patience.