That Librarian woman.

She's done it again. Persuaded  me against my better judgement, to come in to the library on a Saturday and read to the kids. Again.

A few weeks back I had a day off work and offered to help a friend at the local library. Just moving some boxes, stacking shelves and lugging stuff around. Unfortunately they were a staff member down and were about to tell the assembled parents and kids that the "Read with me" session was cancelled. So guess what? Yep, I became the "me" in the "read with me".

I can't recall the exact title of the story, but I think it was something to do with a yellow dog. The kids  seemed to enjoy it. Especially one little guy who decided he liked my celtic cross….

"what's that?"

"It's a cross"

"Don't look like a cross"

"It's a celtic cross, it has a circle on it to represent.. never mind, it's a cross"

"Can I look…"

"No don't pull it, you'll snap the chain, don't pull it, don….. sigh"

The rest of the story was spent with my cross and chain in my pocket and my beedy eye on little "Stu" who I immediately marked out as a trouble maker, due to his destructive talents and the fact he kept poking his tongue out at me.

Anyway, the story ended, the kids dispersed and the librarian wandered over. "I was watching you, you're good with them, you did the voices and everything, they liked you"

"No, I think they were scared"

"No, they liked you, can you come into my office for a minute?"

There followed a conversation in which I agreed to come back a week later and do it all again (what was I thinking). Unfortunately I couldn't make it and thought no more of it. Until yesterday when I went to get some travel books out. (see previous blog)

"Ah J. We missed you last week, fancy doing the "Velveteen rabbit" for us"

"The velveteen what?"

"The story, would you read it to the kids next saturday"

"Um, I er, I'm er.. Oh Ok"

So that is how I am going to spend next Saturday, reading the "Velveteen Rabbit" and keeping a close eye on my chain and cross. No, I won't take it off. There's a story behind it and it stays around my neck all the time, even in the presence of little Stu.

But what has reminded me to write this blog is the phone call I just received from the friendly Librarian.  Apparently 3 of the kids took that yellow dog book out and read it to their parents, voices and all. They said to pass on their thanks to me. So she's asked me to do a regular slot. Ha! "Read with Jay"  So after the Velveteen Rabbit, I've got a regular gig at the local library. Yep, I'm living life on the edge and taking each day as it comes!