Advanced chess openings

Around 11.30am, a man walked over to the Information Desk and asked for a recent book about chess openings, advanced openings. It needs to be recent; nothing old, he emphasized. And not for beginners, he stressed. Alright, let me take a look, I said. As I searched the OPAC he re-emphasized: opening moves, not for beginners, and nothing old. I acknowledged his request, again. Nothing much resulted at first, and he repeated his requests.

Just then a woman approached the Desk, and stood to his right, my left, close, making certain her presence was noticed. Right after that two of the regular group of old guys that come in around 9.30, and hang out for the rest of the morning also approached the Desk. They stood to my right, the chess man's left, and also stood so that their presence was noticed.

I kept searching. The chess man kept repeating his needs: chess openings, a recent book, not for beginners. His voice was not meek, nor low. He added that he did not want to go downstairs. The woman and the two men were clearly getting impatient; their body language was clear. One of the seniors inched (or milimetered) closer and closer, and made his displeasure at the chess man's requests and monopolizing of time obvious. Finally, he just put his elbow in front of the chess man and got partly in front of him.

Chess man was annoyed, nearly angered. "Would you give me some space?" he asked forcefully. The senior gruffly answered that he was taking up too much time. Chess man argued back.

In an emphatic tone I told him to talk to me, and ignore the other man. I had to repeat myself, but I got his attention. I finally found a book, and put a reserve on it for him. He left. I then helped the woman, who praised my handling on the situation, then asked for a book. Finally I turned to the senior. He asked for an eyeglass case that a page had told him had been found and given to the Desk. I told him everything was turned over to Lost & Found, and added that what he had done was inappropriate. He apologized. After getting his eyeglass case, he came back and apologized again.

Another patron came over, and told me I had handled the matter well. I remarked that 7-year-olds have to be handled that way. She looked a little puzzled. I told her that they had behaved as they were 7 years old: petulant, look-at-me, do it now. It worked out.