So Very Dark

Today was Thursday, which means that I spent the majority of the day in the children’s section–I actually spent an extra hour there today, because Anna, our story-time gal, was sick and begged me to take over, since her voice sounded much more smoky lounge-singer than usual. So, aside from the the first hour of my shift, I was in the children’s section all day.

Which isn’t as bad as it sounds, for the most part. We have a great children’s section, and a huge YA section as well, and I kind of like shelving books, which I haven’t gotten to do in the adult fiction section since the holiday season started.

But there are moments…

Today, after story time, I straightened up after the small children (all under 3…a bit young to understand putting away books) who had listened (sort of) to me read, did an overview of the department to get everything basically squared away and neat, then began organizing and shelving books. I was in the last couple hours of my shift when a woman came in accompanied by a number of six- through 9-year olds (I think) and proceeded to let her litter loose on my relatively neat department.

Now, it’s one thing when someone comes in with a very young child and they leave a bit of a mess behind…as mentioned earlier in this rant, children that young don’t really get ‘put the book away’ or ‘don’t randomly pull books off shelves and leave them on the floor’. And yes, it would be nice if the parents would make an effort to clean up after their youngsters, but I really only find the mess left after toddlers depart mildly irksome and basically a fact of life.

However.

When children reach a certain age, I don’t feel that it is unrealistic of me to expect them to have learned manners and public decorum. I don’t feel that I am unjust in believing that if the children behave like barn animals, their guardians should put forth an effort at discipline. Perhaps I am fanciful.

These children ran and yelled. They pulled books off of shelves and left them on the floor in piles. They made messes with every step. They were rude and bratty and disruptive. And their adult accompaniment acted as though nothing is wrong.

I wanted nothing more than to grab her by the lapels and shout; “PUT YOUR F***ING BRATS ON A LEASH, LADY!!!!!” Well, that, and to smack those kids upside their heads a couple times.

Not schooling children in proper behavior is one of my hugest pet peeves. My parents wouldn’t have tolerated me acting like that for an instant. If I refused to act like a human being, I would have been taken outside to wait in the car, or possibly directly home, all the while suffering a stern lecture on manners. I simply don’t understand people who let their children run wild in public venues and think that it’s acceptable.

In other news, I took the bus home tonight, and through amazingly serendipitous timing, managed to get home a mere 45 minutes after leaving work. I’ve gotten home later than that taking a cab.