Feb 24 2009
I got me a new boyfriend!
Okay, everyone who missed me this past week, stand up and be counted!
::crickets chirping::
Well, good, that’s nice. Moving on now…
So I got asked out today by a patron, and for once, it wasn’t terrifying. 
His name is Michael, he is a regular patron at the library, he has Down Syndrome, and he also has a huge crush on me. He’s a cute kid - I would guess that he’s physically about my age, but mentally and emotionally, he’s probably around a 5 - 7 year old boy. Let’s just say that life is much simpler in Michael’s world.
He didn’t always love me. When I first started at the library, Michael didn’t want anything to do with me. He always wanted to be helped by Marsha (my boss). I remember one time asking him if he needed help, and he told me no, he was going to wait to talk to Marsha. I was a little sad - I’m not used to people not wanting anything to do with me. (I have one of those personalities where I always want EVERYONE to love me. True story).
So I started working extra-hard at being outgoing and friendly with Michael, and sure enough, he started being my friend too. Ahh…All is right in the world. One day he asked me if he could call me Mom. I told him sure, Michael, you can call me Mom. After all, who could resist Michael?
Then today, he comes up to the front counter. “Hi!!!” he said, bubbling over with excitement. Turns out he was going to Jackpot with his (real) mother this weekend to go to a Teri Clark concert. I was thrilled for him - he’s a huge fan of Teri Clark, and I knew this was a huge deal for him.
And then he asked me to go to the concert with him.
Yeah…Not so much. I told him I couldn’t go out to a concert with him. So he changed tactics, and told me that he was going to bring a video camera with him to the concert, and that he wanted to show me the tape afterwards. I told him I’d love to watch the tape.
“So you’ll come to my house and watch it with me?” he asked eagerly.
“No, hon, I can’t come to your house. I can’t date people who come to the library. It’s a rule.”
“Well, I want to talk to Sally!” he half-shouted. He has been a patron long enough that he knows that Sally is the big boss of the library, and he was just sure that if he talked to her, she’d let me go on a date with him. “But I loooovvveeee you!” he howled.
I finally got him calmed down, but then he started asking me, “Do you have a girlfriend?” He meant boyfriend, of course, but it made me smile nonetheless.
“No, I don’t have a boyfriend,” I told him. “I am married.”
“Oh, you’re married?” he said sorrowfully. “How long have you been married?”
“Seven years.”
“Seventy years?! That’s a long time!”
This time I couldn’t hide the smile. Yeah, considering I’ve only been alive for 28, 70 years would be quite a long time.
“Are you going to break up with him?” Michael asked, serious as can be.
“No, I’m not going to break up with him,” I told him. “I love my husband.”
“Oh.” Silence for a moment. “What’s his name?”
“Doug.”
“Can you ask Doug if I can take you out on a date?” he asked earnestly.
I just wanted to give him a hug right then and there.
“No honey, I can’t go out on a date with you. I’m sorry.”
“Well…….tell Doug I told him hi. Can you tell him that?”
“Yes, I’ll tell him that,” and I watched Michael walk out the door.
Working at a library is so rewarding. I can’t tell you how much I love knowing that I am making a difference in the patron’s lives, especially the regulars like Michael. Michael wasn’t threatening or obnoxious - just imagine a seven-year-old telling his mom that someday, he was going to grow up and marry her, and then you’ll get the picture. It was just cute.
I tried to get my husband jealous over my new boyfriend tonight at dinner, but he didn’t fall for it. Perhaps I’ll have better luck next time.
Hava
Who’s not sure how many more boyfriends she has that she can drag out of the closet to make the hubby jealous with, but is going to go check right now to see if she can’t round up one or two…
What an attention getting title.
That is a really sweet story about Michael. It is a good feeling when you know you’ve been able to touch the life of another person in a positive way.
that is a great story
Thanks you guys. It’s fun to be back.
Sariah, that was a cute story!! I can totally see Reagan doing that!
Havs
Cute story!
~The Husband
I did notice you were gone.
I, unfortunately, have no romantic competition to confront my husband with, not that it would do me any good. He’s very laid back.
Just thinking about it reminds me of a scene from the TV show Mad About You (which might be before your time) with a scene making fun of the movie Indecent Proposal wherein a rich mogul offers Paul Reiser $1 million dollars to spend the night with Helen Hunt. Paul and Helen look at each other, shrug, she gives him a peck goodbye and wanders off with the mogul.
Lee would be, “That’s nice. Have a fine time doing, you know, whatever.”
That is such a sweet story!!! Michael is very lucky to have you as a special friend.
Havs,
That was too funny. It’s great that you have patrons like that.
Lol, that’s awesome! I love it when Michael comes in, sometimes he can come in right after helping a really difficult patron, and he always brightens the day a little.
I love it when Michael comes in too. He always manages to make me smile:) There were a few weeks where he only wanted me to wait on him. “I like her!” he exclaimed one day. It made my day! What a sweetheart. Apparently he has moved on…LOL
Sariah’s story was too cute too! Loved it! Now I really want Cold Stone:)
My hubby has never nor will he ever be jealous of anything. Someone hit on me at the grocery store once and my hubby said, “I can understand why he would want to go out with you.”
I remember the Mad About You episode that someone else mentioned. I loved that show!
What a sweet story. I’m glad we have folks like you holding our communities together. Imagine what Michael would have without the library.
Also, I’m sure you’ve seen this, but
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/librarian/