And Then We Came to the End

Well, yesterday was a rather overwhelming blur. Lots and lots of farewells and emotions, hugs and handshakes. I cruised into work in the morning to find my desk plastered with posters like the one above, made by students in the Lower School. And the kids had all been told to stop by my desk and say goodbye, so I had a steady stream of well-wishers telling me how much they were going to miss me.

It does a person's ego good, I'll say that.

My boss made cupcakes! We handed them out to teachers who came to wish me well. (There were many more than just these six.)

And remember that group of high-school boys who drove me crazy for years, gathering in a big mob in the library and horsing around and generally being disruptive? Well, they're graduating this year, and they all came in together to say goodbye, and brought me flowers. I was astonished.

They also gave me two thank-you cards, bearing messages like, "You made the library so much fun!" and "Thanks for putting up with our shenanigans." Which is hilarious, because I've always thought I was a grim-faced Scrooge to them. It just goes to show that what counted for them was their overall experience in the space -- a net positive, despite my periodic reminders to pipe down. "Thank you for always letting us play Brawl Stars and being so nice," another one wrote.

And I got another bunch of flowers from a mom and her two kids who have been among my most faithful library patrons. They're now on my kitchen windowsill (above) while the boys' bouquet is in our entrance hall.

Dave bought me flowers too -- a bunch of tulips -- and then complained that the boys had shown him up by giving me a much more expensive bouquet.

Overall, it was terrific day, and one I'll never forget. I had two celebratory martinis after I got home, and later realized as I was lying in bed that I am no longer a librarian. (Well, to be completely accurate, I was never a librarian because I don't have a library science degree -- I was a library assistant. But now I'm not even that!) You don't realize how much of your identity is wrapped up in your occupation until you've left it behind. What am I now? A photographer still, a journalist (at least here), but no longer a librarian. That change leaves me feeling a bit hollow.

Snapped by my boss on the way out the door!