Almost Alone

The time is 3:58 on a sunny, but chilly late Friday afternoon. The lounge is dead silent, cool air circulates in an attempt to make up for the utter lack of noise. In the distance, I assume coming from within the library I can hear an off and on conversation. There are a total of two people in the library now, each seems to be working on their respective work assignments. In the far left corner of the room sits a lone Hispanic woman. She sits on a plush chair with a red roller desk pulled close, atop sits a laptop, and aside that sits a tall patterned drink container. A green reflective wrapper of some sort is being used as a coaster under the drink. On the other side of the laptop sits a school book. Just then an older woman with a lunch pail exits through the lounge, followed by a young dark skinned man talking loudly on his phone exit. After the man comes an older looking one with a beard and a large black backpack. Meanwhile, the Hispanic woman (Kendra) types on her computer, in-between doing such she takes hold of the tall drink and brings it down to her lap, then grabs it’s straw and jabs it around a few times, finally ending this ritual with a well-deserved sip. In addition to drinking the drink, she also checks her cellphone in-between typing. From with the library, the far off conversation previously mentioned has turned into group laughter, and music (both electronically produced and not.) Kendra’s drink seems to have gone empty, she quickly substitutes it for chips and throws the empty container in a trash can by the lounges double doors. The chips seem to be a very innovative solution to snacking while working, Kendra can now snack with one hand, and type/ scroll with the other. A few minutes later, an old woman exits the library, stopping at a trashcan, the same one that now houses Kendra’s empty drink, and dumps an item I could not make out. The time is now 4:19 Kendra is now interacting with her large textbook, bringing the object into her lap and flipping through pages. After finishing she sets the book behind her laptop, out of direct reach. A few minutes later a woman with dyed hair and a skateboard exit through the lounge. Followed is a woman with a headset on, she talks quietly in Spanish, I seem to be hearing only one half of a conversation she is having via the head set. Kendra is now out of chips, realizing this she digs through a bag next to her chair and places a water bottle on her desk. she now types without such distractions as chips and purchased drinks. The time is now 4:31, Kendra has decided to lean over her laptop to look at a page in her out of reach textbook, flips through a page, then goes back to her laptop. A young man in a blue shirt holding a vibrant blue bag exits, saying bye loudly to a group within the library, after, a younger looking man enter the library scene. The man has a backwards baseball cap and seems to be hopelessly glued to his cell phone, of which he has not put down since he entered and took a seat three seats and two display cases away from Kendra, phone held down in his lap. An old man begins to exit, then drops his keys right in front of me, before I can get to my feet, he retrieves them. Meanwhile, back at Kendra’s seat, I notice that her textbook, once out of reach is now propped awkwardly halfway close by her, and halfway on the arm rest of her chair. An older man with coffee and a book enters into the library, passed by 3 young exiting women. Minutes of utter silence have passed, this including the once loud library group. Neither Mike nor Kendra have changed their positions . Mike remains on his phone, Kendra on her laptop, moving only to scratch her nose, or rub her head with her forehead. The noise of the group inside the library raises now. One particularly feminine voice seems to be talking very loud to someone. At 4:49, two older women with white hair and many bags exit out the library talking to one another. After, A young couple enters and take their seats once chair and a display case away. Woman looks directly at the man and talks to him as he plays on his phone. After the woman has finished talking, the man, still with his phone begins. The two eventually hold light conversation while both looking at their respective phones. To conclude, this week’s observation has been very uneventful and spare in subject number, best hopes for next week.