Today's Letter

Re: Crab Salad

Hi Leah!

I know you won’t mind me using your first name since it sounds like everyone is overly familiar with you. I just wanted to say that I have similar experiences to yours, but only in Libraries and Bookstores.

Although I am a Librarian, people just assume that I am an employee of whatever building I am in. I mean it’s not like I wear my work nametag everywhere I go or anything. I get asked all kinds of directional questions. “Where are the cookbooks?” “Do you know where the bathroom is?” I mean, don’t they see the purse? Employees don’t carry their purses around with them!

Weirdly enough, I can usually answer their questions, even when I am visiting the store for the first time myself, so there are probably a bunch of people walking around thinking that I work in a lot of places I was only visiting.

So what is it about us that make us the ones to chat with? Do we just project friendly/smart/approachable? Do we look like their mothers/sisters/best friends? I for one was at least relieved to read your article and realize that this type of thing happens to other people, but still…

Let me know if you find a way to make yourself more anonymous (so that only the cute guys approach you; not the restroom attendants!).

Karen

Dear Karen,

I actually did it to someone else the other day. I asked her where I could find the cards and she laughed nervously and said, ‘Oh. I don’t work here.’ and hurriedly walked away. I wanted to follow her and tell her, ‘Hey! No worries! This happens to me all the time. You don’t need to run away….I’m not really a weirdo.’ but that might have made me seem even stranger…

I laughed all the way home, though. And it kind of made me feel good in a way. After all, like you said, it’s a relief to know this kind of thing happens to other people. : )

leahpeah