November 2, 2006

Library Chaos [stories]



I'm at the library because our neighbors' internet, which we steal, has been turned off. Don't they know I have work to do and BLOGS to write?

Our library is in our backyard so it's not a big deal. It's a unique place here. You've got half 20-somethings with Apple computers who are studying or writing the next important screenplay or - how stupid is this - blogging . Then the other half is a collection of homeless people and/or mentally challenged people. For example, the homeless guy next to me just ate a pack of jellybeans louder than I ever thought it was possible to eat a pack of jelly beans. And now he's passionately reading an encyclopedia. Out loud. And the older cat lady from our building just walked by with her stained shirt unbuttoned to her belly button. I think I may have seen nipple. Then there's the burn victim. He gets a million stares a day, but he always has a ginormous smile on his face. And last in my range of sight is the older homeless man with the trench coat and Starbucks cup. He always has that cup in his hand. I think Starbucks is paying him to advertise. I bet the thoughts and ideas that go up from this building are as crazy as any place on earth. It's like a running comedy show that only God knows about.

6 comments:

::athada:: said...

Do you know the neighbor from whom you stole? Funny to run a business that way... but sounds economical.

This library (IWU) is a little different... ok, we won't go there. Nice read today Josh.

pk said...

Great post. I can picture it like I'm walking around the place myself. And who doesn't enjoy an inconspicuous link every now and again? Nice touch.

The ethics of "stealing" wireless would be an interesting post I think. I mean, given the opportunity, who hasn't done it?

Jodi said...

I did it the entire time I lived in Indy. No shame.

coach d said...

I practice unprotected Internet service too... I pay for the service and invited my neighbors who can get the signal to sue it...they are welcome to borrow my line if they want to.

I have a retired man with a belly big enough to have its own name North of me but he does not even have a computer. He is into building fires in his wood stove so that my heating system draws it in to remind me of campfires.

To the East is an old couple who responded, "What is wireless?" If they have since got on the web I suspect they use it from 4AM until breakfast--after they they mostly just mosey around preparing for their nap.

The nursing home to the South... well, I didn;t even tell them..but I suspect in the future people there will get hooked up.

To the West is a young couple who has more spendable money than me,a and they wouldn't think of living so simply as to not have their own personal Internet line--it would be (for them) like coming over to my house to get water.

So, alas! nobody took me up on my sharing spirit.

I have figured it is like letting someone use my phone, but I've not really examined the ethics of this sharing seriously. Maybe PK will blog on this and help me out. Am I stealing the service from myself by sharing it with neighbors?

rebekah said...

fun read, josh. i can hear you... miss you two.

Jenn Swift said...

I'm sitting on my back porch freezing right now because someone back here has it up and running. Thanks "Belkin54g". One day the power went out on our block... that day sucked. No internet all day. I had to listen to NPR on the RADIO. Like, I had to wait for "This American Life".

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