Lima Locations I Like:

DESTINATION #1 - LIMA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Oh, how I love the library!  The smell of the books, the low quiet hum of computers and pages being turned...I'm a big fan.

However, the "Lima Public Library" has an element about it that kinda freaks me out.  Like today for example, I went to go pick up the next book in the Janet Evanovich Series "Smokin' Seventeen" and as I surveyed the room while making my way over to check my book out, this guy locks eyes with me, he practically waved his arms to get my attention, I looked at him and he dramatically raised and lowered his eyebrows at me, instantly it reminded me of "the man with the gun" from Adventures in babysitting, here's a clip to refresh your memory should you need it:

I quickly looked away from him as if I hadn't seen him.  While I never looked directly at him again after that, I could see that he watched me very intensely as I perused the new Fiction section just before leaving the Library.  Odd right....?  What's even MORE odd, is what happened to me the time BEFORE today....

I walked up to the front door of the building, a young man was coming out of the revolving door as I approached, he stopped and stood motionless as I made my way around him and into a slot in the glass revolving door.  I heard him say as I began to go...."Well hell, with a view like this, I'm gonna have to take me another spin!" and he hopped in the slot behind me and instead of exiting the door into the library like I had, he spun back to the outside and again, stood alone on the sidewalk watching me from the other side of the glass.

I was like, how odd!  I got my book, checked out, and when I came back out, same gentlemen standing right where I'd last saw him, this time he says to me...."Daaaaamn, aint you a sweet thang!"...followed by "guuuuuuuurl, you got it going on!"  I smiled politely, gave the sincere head nod of acceptance of his compliment and made my way across the parking lot back to my vehicle.

He waved at me as I drove out of the lot.  But that's not the end of the story.....a half hour later, the same gentlemen was standing in the lobby of my office.  White shirt, baggy pants, same big smile.  I was caught off guard when I looked over to see him standing there behind 4 inches of bulletproof glass looking at me, smiling.  I was like, this town's too big to be the same guy I saw at the Library, but it was him.  As I approached the window and said "Can I help you?"  He said, "Hello AGAIN!"

Me:  "Hello" while looking confused....

Him:  "I have an appointment with {insert name}"

Me:  You must be at the wrong office, this is the Court of Appeals, you might want to check upstairs with the prosecutor's office, perhaps that's where you need to be?

Him:  "yessssss ma'am....and I'll be seeing...YOU...around!" and he pointed at me, winked, smiled big and wide, and as he walked away, he walked backwards never breaking his stare until he loaded into the elevator and the door closed behind him.

Had he followed me from the library?  And why would he?  I'm far from pretty enough to warrant a mid-afternoon-mid-work-week stalking.  Was it purely coincidence?  I don't know, but I continue to go back to the library, the draw of free books, the smell of the paper, the long aisles of shelves with mundane carpeting....they keep me coming back time and time again.

Guess my love of books is stronger than my fear of creepy guys! 

*smiles*

"Never let the creep factor of others keep you from the joys of life."

"Walk softly and carry big pepper spray."

"A book in the hand is better than creepy guys in a bush...."

Wait, I don't think I'm getting these quite right....

Stopping before things get out of hand,

~Heather Lynn~