Letter #4

Dear patron(s),

It is a harsh, cruel world we live in that is full of injustice, yes. I realize that perhaps me not making small talk or answering personal questions that are often inappropriately phrased or poorly intended when I am not on the clock may upset your day. I realize that when I am on the clock I am friendly, thoughtful, careful and interested in what it is you are working on but I would very much like to point out that in a customer service capacity with that low of pay, the likelihood of me actually giving a good goddamn is miniscule. Infinitesimal . In truth, the very fact that you genuinely seem to think that I am that intensely interested in what it is you're doing or need help with is only the disgusting self-interest of a staff person who is horribly overworked, underpaid, and wishing they could buy more than ramen for their lunches so if you understand it the first time it is explained to you, you leave their desk the fuck alone. See, if I suck at my job, that means you keep coming back to my desk because you'll keep needing my help (not the goal of an overworked, underpaid employee). If I piss you off, I lose my job (also not the goal of an overworked, underpaid employee). If I do my job right and make you feel like you have had staff bend their poor backs over for you and make your day, you won't need to come back to my desk with multiple retarded questions! See? The world lies to you, it lies to you and when you catch me leaving work or around downtown and I stare blankly at you when you start to prattle about your new girlfriend, drug habit, or child-to-be, the facts are currently hitting you and spitting in your face.

So we come down to the real question here. Are you going to get lost and bitter over the idea that reality is not what you thought it was? Are you going to hate me for doing my job well? Or can we keep up this happy little facade and you just leave me alone when I'm not being paid to be nice to you? I beg of you, for your own sake and for mine, keep up the little facade and I will always be that wonderful smile behind the desk digging through the knee-high stack of picture books to find just the one your screaming child wants because you don't want to do it yourself.

Yours truly,
Miss Misanthropy
Library Assistant.