Libraries have always held a special place in my heart. The idea that I can walk into a library and see more books than I could ever possibly read makes my heart flutter. I realize it could easily have the opposite effect on someone and make them have a heart attack, but I am content to know that books are available at all times on all subjects for all people.
In college I loved the smell of our campus library. When I opened the door and stepped through, the familiar smell of very old books (is that mildew?) welcomed me. I knew where the art books were located, where the technical writing books resided, and where to find back issues of Scientific American (research papers for the tech writing degree; no, it’s not as bad as it sounds).
My favorite spot in the campus library, though, was the top floor near the windows that overlooked the campus green. The prime spots were the worn, flat chairs positioned right in front of the windows. If I was lucky enough to find an unoccupied chair, I could sit in front of those windows and read or daydream or just watch people walking to class. If I was not so lucky, I would try to find a spot at a nearby table where I could envy the people sitting in the worn, flat chairs. Then quietly sneak into their chair when they left to find a new book. Just kidding. Sort of.
During finals week of my sophomore year, I stumbled to the top floor of the library in a sleep-deprived state to study a little before my next exam. No chairs were available and all the tables the were filled with other students doing last-minute studying. I found a single chair at a crowded table and spread my notes out as much as I could.
I’m not really sure what happened next. I’m a life-long insomniac, but this string of all-nighters was finally getting to me. I must have fallen asleep at some point, but I only assume that because I woke up suddenly at some point too.
The thing is, when I sat down (and presumably went to sleep) the table was full. When I woke up (after how long, I’ll never know), the table was completely empty.
Here’s the part that has haunted me all these years: the table was empty, yes, but all the people that had been at the table were not gone. They had simply moved away. All the other tables were still crowded, but mine was now empty. No one was sitting at the only empty table on the best floor of the library except for me.
I ask you: What did I do while I was sleeping that would make an entire table of people dissipate?
Maybe I was moaning. The tendency to moan during "twilight" sleep runs in my family. You know what I’m talking about, right? When you’re almost asleep, but not quite, and your vocal cords completely relax and you, well, moan a little.
Or maybe I was drooling and slurping.
Or, and I really hope this wasn’t the case, maybe I passed gas. It would not be the first time I have awakened myself by such method. Usually publicly.
You’d think I’d learn not to sleep in public places at some point.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Great writing…the smell of the books, the college library “best tables”, the common tail of embarrassment of doing something while asleep (or possibly inebriated) that you will never fully understand. Great writing.
The worst part is that you’ll never know, either. Don’t ya just hate it?
This post ended quite differently that where I imagined it was going when I started reading.
Well I’ve shared a hotel room with you and I could tell you what you do when you are sleeping, but then you’d have to live with that the rest of your life….
Oh my. Too funny. I was expecting an ending where you were perhaps trapped in the library. How did you ever manage to harness your dignity and get out of there?
Any chance you tried to spoon one of your neighbors?
I’ve heard of college students sleeping around but I always thought they meant something different.
Hey! I have NO IDEA how I landed here….prob some spontaneous clickage….but you are a RIOT.
Thanks for the morning laugh!
Oh my friend, you are too funny.
Funny, funny, funny. I’m sure I probably have a similar moment in my history, but I refuse to remember such things…unless my husband remembers for me.
I’m sure they were just being polite and letting you sleep. Right? Because you would NEVER do any of those other things you mentioned…
Once, when I was still in high school, I fell asleep on a friends couch and woke to the sounds of my friends all whispering and giggling that I had “fluffed” in my sleep. I still get embarrased to this day when I think about it.
There. Feel a little better? Prolly not, eh?
I’m not including my real name or URL for this comment. Still embarrased!
That was hilarious!! Thanks for sharing that embarassing story and making me laugh today!!
Great tale! Well told!! Brought back a few library memories of my own. Isn’t it funny how we had our favorite spots? In my mind’s eye, I can still see mine.
Just think, somewhere out there on somebody’s blog, a stranger is writing about the time they were in the library and this girl fell asleep, and then _________________, and we all had to get the heck away from her! Hilarious!
Yeah…things happen in your sleep that you have no idea. My husbands claims that I snore…but I just stick to the statement that if I didn’t see or hear it happen…it didn’t happen! Great story!
Okay, I thought that you were going to go on about your ability to kill off 9 other people in your life and then throw in a few red herrings for a complete surprise ending, but I’m glad to see that it’s about you and your continuing ability to remain single in a crowded room.
It’s great to know that I’m not alone.
I can’t sleep in public, usually because of such worries. But in Mauritanian culture, people just go to sleep everywhere. It’s not uncommon for your guests to lie down after lunch and go to sleep in your living room.
To help you sleep at night and keep you from fretting, I’m going to bring a little comfort. These college students were just being kind and considerate. They knew that you were short on sleep and nearing an exam. They were afraid their own studying (note taking, discussion, moving up and down, noisy book rustling) was going to wake you up.
Instead they simply and quietly moved to a different table. You didn’t do anything. They were just simply dear, helpful college students.
See, don’t you feel better now. Aren’t you grateful you got that good library table sleep? Stop fretting and put it behind you.
Duckabush Blog
LOL! Asleep in a crowded library, with the table all to yourself, I’m sorry, but I can only imagine the worst!! I hope you’ll take comfort in the fact that probably no one knew who you were!
I definitely like to think that you were moaning… loudly. what a great image!