Sunday, February 13, 2011

Back To The Future?

A new inmate clerk was assigned to my library a few weeks back.  When he first walked in, I felt a moment of fear.  He looked a bit scary to me, almost like he might not want to be there.  I asked him, "Do you want to work here?"  He said that he was fine with the job.  Okay!  Let's get to it.  I introduced him to the senior clerk, who is actually about 20 plus years YOUNGER.  The new clerk informed me that he had NEVER touched a computer, having "been down" for more than 25 years.   Alrighty!  A few days later, he was repairing some books.  I handed him a glue stick.   He said, "What's this?"  My eyes got big, and then I remembered that he had been down for a long time.  I told him, "A glue stick."  He said, "Oh, okay," and continued working using the glue stick seemingly with ease.  A few days later, he again was using the glue stick.  About half an hour later, I heard him exclaim, "Wow, that's cool!"  I looked up and he was looking at me incredulously, then said, "I didn't know it did that!"  He had discovered that the bottom of the glue stick turned and the glue moved upwards.  He then told me that he had been dipping his finger into the glue and then to the books to make the repairs.  I must have looked as crazy as he did, because we both burst out laughing hysterically.  He looks much less scary when he laughs, by the way.  And he has proven already to be a hard worker and fast learner.  One can't judge a book by the cover, right?  Anyway, this experience iwth the glue stick has reminded me of the many times I've wondered what my ancestors would think should they come visit for an hour or two and see all the changes since their life. 

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Who Is He?

Yesterday, inmate John Smith* came to the library.  He presented legal documents and requested copies.  I looked at the documents and noted that the name on them was David Brown*.  I said to him, "Who is David Brown?"  He replied that it was him.  I then asked him, "Who is John Smith?"  He replied that he, too, was John Smith.  I expressed confusion.  He said that when he was arrested he was going by John Smith but he was really David Brown.  I asked him if anyone else knew that, and he said that custody knew.  So I called his building and asked one of my favorite officers what she knew about John Smith and David Brown being one and the same.  She only knew him by John Smith.  I then called the program office and asked the sergeant what he knew about this mysterious inmate.   He input the inmate's CDCR number into his computer to check for any aliases.  None.  Not a one.  California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation only knows him as John Smith.  I then told the inmate that I could not copy the documents as they had the wrong name on it.  He needed to prove he was David Brown and not John Smith.   He asked me how he could do that . . . hmmmm . . . the truth always works,  I thought but didn't say.   He was polite and didn't blame me for his predicament, which was unusual for an inmate.  As he was leaving the library, I told him that when he figured out who he was to let me know and perhaps his documents could be copied.  He said that he knew who he was, but didn't seem to want o share that with me at that time.  Are John Smith and David Brown one and the same?  Who really knows besides John Smith, David Brown and his/their mother(s).

*name changed to protect the guilty