Crossword

The time is 3:59 on a warm Tuesday afternoon. The inside of the lounge is cool as to accommodate the outside heat. The library and lounge area are both louder than usual, a group from within the library shuffles and talks loudly amongst themselves, while a young couple within the lounge watch a loud video on a cellular device and talk at just the same volume. The overall noise around me fills the typical void of solemn study. Today I have decided to sit in the far right corner of the library. Across from me sits an older man with white hair holding a large and very noisy newspaper in front of his spectacle residing face, (let’s call him News.) The man consistently shuffles the paper, and changes its position in front of him every minute or so. With every change a loud crinkling of pages fills the room. As I write the young couple previously watching a video, have gathered their things and appear to be getting ready to leave. As expected, they exit the library. News’ cellphone goes off as he reads his shuffling paper and he quickly folds it into a much more manageable size, and fishes in his pocket for a black cellphone. Upon retrieving the phone he assesses the folded paper onto his crossed right leg, and scrolls through the device. This takes about three minutes. After, he puts the phone away and unfolds the large newspaper, deciding to prop it up right, once again in front of his face. At this moment, the young couple re-enters the lounge and crosses into the library. News is unphased by this, he reads the paper for about a minute then changes its position strategically. Once again his cellphone goes off, at this point he has already folded the large paper into a manageable enough size to fish out the device without much struggle. He sends a quick text, then goes back to his paper arrangement. Just after, the young couple exits the library scene. To my left, two glass display cases away, sits a man with an apple computer. His posture can be best described as loose, laid back, but very alert. He sits back in a plush chair, legs extended, feet crossed at the end. One hand grips the edge of his chair, while another resides by the apple laptop (of which happens to be on a red roller desk.) The time is now 4:17, the man (let’s call his Jason,) hunches forward into his computer and places both hands to his head as if stressed at something he is now reading on screen. Meanwhile, News’ crossed legs has moved up his left leg in a great, almost over the top manner. In addition to this I now notice he has moved back farther to the right of his chair, the folded paper resides folded on his right leg. Jason has relaxed once again, and leans back slightly, bringing the laptop closer to him. With one hand he scrolls through the laptop. He now retrieves a note pad and pen out of his backpack, clicking the pan he scribbles down some notes from the screen of the computer. After writing, pen still in hand, he brings such to his lips and reads purposefully. Going back to News, and his awkwardly placed paper, I notice that he has a pen in his hand, and is in fact completing a game of some sort by using his propped leg as a hard surface to write. Jason has shrunk down into his chair, writing notes, he brings his now semi crossed legs closer to him. A few seconds later I observe him shrinking down further into the chair, to the point that his back is almost entirely in the seating area of the chair. He grabs his black phone that was set beside the laptop and scrolls through it now. He seems to be growing boarded of taking notes. As this goes on, a large boy in black with headphone exits. Jason soon puts the phone down, uses a hand to brush over his strained face and begins to scroll through the laptop. A few seconds after scrolling he reads the screen and taps rhythmically on the table top with both hands. The time is now 4:31, a new man has entered the lounge area. He wears a cap and blue shirt (let’s call him Blue Man.) he takes a seat one display case and a seat to the right of news. Blue Man immediately plugs in a phone charger and scrolls through his device. Moments after a tall dark woman enter the scene. Greeting Blue Man, and puts her things on a desk in front of him, then walks into library. She soon arrives back and takes her seat. The Tall woman fishes out a binder, small laptop, and a number of other folders and gets to work typing. (Let’s call this woman Pro.) A middle aged couple exits through the lounge area, woman laughing, The Man having none of this looks solemnly at his surroundings. News has now brought the folded paper up to his face, he seems to study it with the upmost thoughtfulness, a pen hovering just above the papers dull grey pages. Another young woman exits through the lounge. As she does the woman looks through a large bag slug across a shoulder. Followed by her is a young woman in a dress. A very young looking girl (woman?) enters the library. Two adult men with tools strapped to their pants enter through the lounge. I notice that the library scene seems to have gone very quiet, all work aside from Blue Man is semi beneficial to the goal of greater knowledge. The two tool men soon exit through the lounge. News has now positioned himself drastically to the right of his chair. Upon closer inspection I note that his back now leans on the right arm of it, and both legs are propped on the left arm. The paper is still pressed against his right leg. The pen moves with vigorous motion in random periods of time. At this time I see that blue Man has moved next to Pro, and now chats with her silently. With minutes remaining on the scene, I observe the four individuals within the library pursuing essentially the same activities. Jason reading his computer screen, Blue Man with Pro, News with is puzzles. The sun outside dies down into the far horizon, the library grows cold with no outside light to warm the building. And so ends another day of observations.