The Palmer Senior Center closed a few days ago because a number of cases of Covid were reported. This did not surprise me. It appeared from the onset that the lunch time crowd was being a little too lax about wearing masks. And how can you both eat and wear a mask? It is also tempting, when others aren’t wearing masks, to pass on the idea of also wearing one.

I knew immediately that the closure would have implications for the Bright Lights Book Project. The lunch-time seniors were very enthused about the book project, and they could be counted on to take a fair number of books. The question was, how would I now get the books to them?

I was told that there would be a food commodities line and a grab and go lunch area. So I pictured a table and a cart with books at the table’s end, a box of books at the grab and go area. I returned home, happy with my vision.

Things are going to work out the way I planned, sort of. Sort of because I’m not going to get much staff support for my efforts. Today was a sign of things to come.

Empty pots in the State Fair greenhouse

I arrived at the front door at 11:30 a.m., the time at which seniors were told that they could pick up lunches and commodities. First one, then several other seniors joined me. It was raining. I looked in the dining hall window and saw the commodities items – various food items. I looked up to the second floor and saw the administrative lights on. I looked in the front door and saw footprints, standing indicators, six feet apart. I then put two and two together (as did the seniors) and realized that we would not be let in until 12 p.m.

The doors did open at 12 p.m., and me and a half-dozen seniors entered the building. Before us, on the far side of the second double door, were two individuals sitting at a table. I recognized one as Jacki, the activities director. I surmised that the other was Beth, the woman who Jacki deferred to on book related matters.

Beth told me to sign in. I signed in. I then asked if I could put books out. I was told by Beth that I could not go into the food room. I said that all I’d need to do would be move the library cart to a more accessible spot. She agreed to this. She then followed me into the dining hall, now empty of chairs and tables. It took a minute, but I located and moved the cart to an area across from the commodities table.

Beth then stood next to me as I took some books, and put the rest on the top shelf of the library cart. I explained to her that these books would then be easier to reach.

After a bit, she tapped her watch and said my fifteen minutes was up, that I needed to be out of the building. I ignored her and took another five minutes to finish up. I asked and was told that I could not go and get my hand cart. Instead, I was to use a kitchen cart. I put the boxes on it, and Beth told another woman to go with me to the parking lot. I think she was afraid I might steal the cart.

I loaded up and left. I will not go back there until November 1, the date when the Palmer Senior Center is scheduled to be reopened. My thinking is this: Scott, who was the president of the board is now out of the picture. Fred, the interim director, is interim.

What Beth doesn’t realize is that just having a library cart on hand isn’t going to fly. The beauty of the previous set-up was that it allowed the seniors to interact and talk books, and for me to interact with them and talk books. You have to have this if you want to get books into readers’ hands.

As I have often said, change is a constant, and there will be change. I just have to be patient and wait for bad ju ju to be replaced with good ju ju.

Next: 278. 10/8/21: The Second Person