Yesterday was a dream of a day. I sat in the library almost all day reading quietly. There were very few kids around -- a handful of middle schoolers, but that's it. I caught up on responding to blog comments and also read Rebecca Kuang's novel "Yellowface." I nearly finished the entire book. I only have about 15 pages left.
People think this is what working in a library is like. Let me tell you, it is not -- except on very rare, very special days like yesterday. We always joke that school would be great if it weren't for the kids, and we really are joking, but yesterday drove that point home!
Dave got to Berlin OK. He sent me a video of the Victory Column taken from his bus window, but otherwise I haven't heard much -- which is typical on these school trips. He's got plenty to do without having to correspond with me.
My H&R Block tax advisor gave our income tax filing the all-clear and passed it along to the IRS. But the IRS rejected it -- something about my international phone number? Why this would be a problem I have no idea, given that I've had the same phone number for ten years. So I'm waiting to hear back on that. It's always something.
This very short video was sent to me by my friend Said, who I worked with in Morocco many years ago. He's Moroccan but he lives in the USA now. He went back to Morocco recently and revisited the town where we used to work and live, and found that the old hospital building is now closed. He made that video showing what it looks like. You can hear him exclaim, "Seriously?!" Which is pretty much my reaction too.
I looked for a picture of it as it used to be, when I worked there in the early '90s, but I don't seem to have one. It was very neat and tidy with that beautiful shady courtyard full of palm trees. The sloppy cinderblock walls that you see when he pans to the right weren't there back then -- that was all part of the open arcade. Seeing it in such a ramshackle state, with chickens running around, is pretty sobering! I assume this means the community now has a newer, better hospital, which is a good thing, but still.
I titled the video "Sbeeta Afoulous" because sbeeta is Arabic for hospital and afoulous is Tashelhait Berber for chicken. So, "chicken hospital."
(Top photo: Swiss Cottage, late February. That store is closed now. In fact all the shopfronts in that building are closed -- maybe there's some larger renovation going on.)
17 comments:
Years ago when I was a school principal my assistant principals and I joked every year that it was a great job until the teachers showed up. And when my wife and I were first married she worked in retail and often said it would be a great job if not for the customers. Most occupations must have that “if not for” feeling.
Suddenly I had a vision of The New Boss creeping up on you from behind and yelling, "Steve! What the hell do you think you are doing? You are not paid to sit here reading! Now take these wet wipes and get cleaning some book covers! And no smartass explanations either!...By the way, I have been reading your blog!"
The condition of that old hospital building is tragic. What a shame. From the title I thought maybe you were rescuing stray London chickens.
Sad to see an old, once useful and vital, building in such decay.
I came here expecting to hear that you had rescued a chicken, so I don't know if I'm relieved or sad. :)
What a beautiful building it must have been.
What did you think of Yellowface? I read it too.
I'm getting old enough where a lot of my history, building wise, has been erased. My grade and high schools no longer stand, nor do the first several houses I grew up in. My college years still have a few survivors but most are razed. Pretty soon, it will start into my post college years.
Glad you had a relaxing day to catch up on reading. I've placed a hold on Yellowface so I can read it too. Did you like it?
That old hospital is in total ruins. What a shame. The building has such good 'bones'. It's too bad it hasn't been turned into something useful.
A quiet day at the library sounds quite nice.
I am somewhat disappointed that this blog post was not about a rescue chicken situation.
In my previous life as a bookseller, I never had time to read anything apart from invoices, price tags, reviews and publisher sales blurbs. I used to envy librarians then. Actually, still do.
I used to own a busy one person petcare service and people would say, oh, playing with animals all day, what fun! Yeah. But librarians really do read all day, no matter what they say!
Yellow face was a disappointment, after waiting ages to get it. Derivative from other similar books and truly boring about the unexciting world of publishing to anyone not in it. But I gave it a fair try before returning it as not worth finishing.
Those beautiful archways, sigh. However, it is sometimes much more work/expense to renovate than it is to build new. Glad that Dave is safely in Berlin and that you had a relaxing day in the library. What do you think of that book?
Evidently someone in my book club recommended Yellowface since I have it written down in the book journal I take to our meetings. Maybe I need to read it.
I do like the translation of Chicken Hospital! It looks beautiful. And so glad you had a mellow day at work, hopefully a good evening, too. Glad Dave made it OK.
I expected Olga to pop out to chat with the chickens. I hope the people there have a new hospital.
Love,
Janie
That old hospital is still appealing for a wander. Great photo op!
Don: Definitely occupations that work with people! Although maybe cleaners think, "This would be a great job if it weren't for the dust."
YP: I am completely unconcerned about whether or not my boss reads my blog.
Mitchell: I seem to have disappointed people by NOT running a chicken rescue! LOL
Bob: It's surprising how thoroughly it has decayed in what seems to me a relatively short period of time. (Thirty years, though -- not THAT short.)
Bug: Bringing a chicken into our household would be a condemnation, not a rescue!
Ms Moon: I really liked it!
Ed: My elementary school was torn down, and my high school has been renovated beyond recognition!
Ellen D: I did like it! More on this in tomorrow's comments. :)
Sharon: Yeah, I'm surprised it hasn't been repurposed. There have been some reorganizations of local government since I was there, and maybe that's why.
Sabine: It's very rare for me to be able to read as I have been the last few days. Normally it's way too busy!
Boud: Oh, see, I had a completely different take on it. I found the dissection of "cancel culture" quite fascinating, as well as the main character's ability to rationalize almost any appalling behavior.
Margaret: I enjoyed it a lot. I see here that some people did not!
Kelly: I'll be interested to hear what you think!
Linda Sue: It is certainly atmospheric, especially if you're a chicken! LOL
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