Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Finding a quiet place to work is always a challenge when you’ve got two small kids in a New York city apartment. I’ve done my time in local coffee shops and schlepped downtown to the university library. But the workplace of late has been a local public library.
I’ve grown adept at tuning out crotchety old folks fighting over sections of the Times and teenagers flirting loudly. Today was especially challenging. The rain drove the kids off the street, so the flirty teenagers multiplied. Just as I was in that sweet spot of writing, when the ideas really flow, a man dumped a stack of books on Hitler right next to me. I quickly realized that he had Tourrettes, because he began mumbling about the dirty Nazis and jerking his head around violently.
Now this I couldn't tune out. But I didn't want to get up and move to a different table, because I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I didn't want to be a Tourrettes-bigot. After a half an hour of profanities and a little spitting, I just left the library.
OK, guys, that's it for a little while. We're heading off to Cleveland for a week. Driving there with the kids. (Yes, we're on drugs.) So posts will be rare until next week.
I’ve grown adept at tuning out crotchety old folks fighting over sections of the Times and teenagers flirting loudly. Today was especially challenging. The rain drove the kids off the street, so the flirty teenagers multiplied. Just as I was in that sweet spot of writing, when the ideas really flow, a man dumped a stack of books on Hitler right next to me. I quickly realized that he had Tourrettes, because he began mumbling about the dirty Nazis and jerking his head around violently.
Now this I couldn't tune out. But I didn't want to get up and move to a different table, because I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I didn't want to be a Tourrettes-bigot. After a half an hour of profanities and a little spitting, I just left the library.
OK, guys, that's it for a little while. We're heading off to Cleveland for a week. Driving there with the kids. (Yes, we're on drugs.) So posts will be rare until next week.
