I went to the library in the fresh morning yesterday, Monday. With such a great spirit I walked under the rising sun and ignored the dust and smoke from the vehicles that run past me on the road, held my face high and looked around, tried to memorize every buildings, trees, faces, and billboard signs along the way. I wanted to enjoy the day no matter how ugly my face became because of the sweat and oil soaked it and my back was sticky. I walked faster when I passed the school site, took a different turn which eventually guided me to the same big road, Teuku Umar. A few more minutes walk and I would be there.
The [bag n belongings] deposit man smiled at me when i greeted him, handed him my brown bag and asked if I can take my mineral water with me inside.
"Sure thing," he kept on smiling, "Want a cup of this?" he lifted his small mug of coffee. I laughed and thanked him, walked my way up to the front door which is on the second floor. A woman who looked like the library stuff was sitting at the desk specially made for library members, checked a facebook profile while talked to the man next to her. A soft Indonesian music filled the high ceilings. Too bad they dont put a speaker in the reference-books room. Once I heard they played Miley Cyrus's Party in the USA.
I sat down and indulged myself with one thick book, a collection of three or four novel, skipped the first one and started to read the second one which took me almost all the remaining time to finish it. A sort of saga that kept me sat straight and ignored the sudden crowd of Moslem playground or elementary kids that came into the room with their withering enthusiasm. One librarian repeatedly told the kids not to bother the ''brothers" who were trying to read.
"We have 78.000 book titles and 162.000 exemplars," he said indignantly, emphasizing the numbers which failed to attract me. The fact is they have very few collection and none of them were recent publishing, nothing after 2000 [I'm talking about novels and other English literature]
But I have spotted some books I'd love to read for my next visits. They turned down my member application because I have no Bali ID card. So, frequent and long visit is my only option. And that aint that bad, eh?
By the time I finished one novel, the librarian shouted, "We're closing in two minutes," everyone, well, there were only four of us, or five, threw our eyes at her and her gangs who have been grouping and gossiping on the far corner of the room.
"Please come here to stamp the books you want to take home," she continued. I wish I could take this and the other Anthology home, I said to myself, rose up and left the building.
The overwhelming kindness of Louis to send me some of his book collections is something I am grateful for. Thanks Louis, I'mma keep them good and when any of your friends might happen to come down here, I'd ask their help to bring'em back to ya. :)
