I am a people watcher. I work at the Knoxville Public Library, "Old City" branch. There is a great deal of diversity in the patronage I have the opportunity to encounter here. Without all the weirdos who hang around here all the time I don't think I could tolerate my job. Don't get me wrong, I love books. Reading is one of my passions. I only have two. Martinis is my other. With this career I can split my time equally between my two passions and pay my mortgage as well. Wathching people entertains me, it breaks the monotony of being a librarian.

There are lots of regulars who come into the library on a daily basis. We have our students who are dedicated to staying on top of things as well as testing our research skills. We have our mommies who want their toddlers to be rocket scientists by age five and strive for perfect attendance in the storytelling sessions. We have our cheapskates who refuse to pay for the daily paper and come here to read it, seems to me that the cost of gas and time is more than the fifty cents for the paper. We have our share of the homeless and drunk who want to escape the elements for a while. We have the unemployed who come here to tell their spouses they are out job hunting. And we have some legitimate library patrons.

I, of course, have my favorites. My favorites to help and my favorites to watch are usually different. There is this one guy who I like to watch and help. I'm not attracted to him or anything, he's just interesting to watch. He seems like a real loser, cigarettes rolled up in his t-shirt sleeve, hanging out at the library to avoid working type, looks like a womanizer, probably drinks cheap liquor, or worse-beer. He reads poetry all the time, what a contrast! Another of his personally intriguing characteristics is that he speaks Spanish. I was raised in Puerto Rico, my family speaks only Spanish. I've been here for 20 years now so I have only maintained broken Spanish but this guy speaks well. Using the little Spanish I can recall brings me to a nostalgic feeling. Helps me remember my childhood and my family.

Trying to figure out what makes other people tick keeps this job interesting. The library offers a smorgasbord of people types. I may write a book about all the people I see in here. Oddly enough, I haven't ever noticed any of these people any place else. I am starting to get curious about where they spend the rest of their time. Perhaps I will have a fairy godmother to help me with the project.