Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Social Commentary

This morning, i had a very irate woman call the library to protest her extremely large fine (largest i've ever heard of). Now, it's not new for me to field horribly angry or confused people. i'm used to it. However, these are typically neighborhood folks, and not those seeking divinity degrees. She was upset because this huge fine was going to keep her from graduating. Now, i did want to tell her that she wouldn't have a fine over one hundred dollars (the largest fine i'd ever previously seen was 34) if she knew how to return books. But even more so, i wanted to stop being polite and helpful and tell her that assholes shouldn't get divinity degrees even if they are paid up at the library. In my book, a pastor who can't be kind to minimum wage employees or anyone bending over backwards to help such a pain is in the wrong field of work.
Then a little while later, a woman comes in talking loudly on her cell phone. First off, this is a library. EVERYone knows you don't get to be loud in a library, period. Second, she passed our big no cell phone signs. Okay, no common sense, no reading skills. Why is she in our library? Poor Rachel, our meek little library assistant went over to ask her to just step out in the atrium and she blew up and actually gave her the "talk to the hand." Good grief, the woman was late 30's. Rachel, our poor missionary child, was shocked.
Turns out, this was the same woman from the phone. She proceeded to yell at Rachel about her fees and how it wasn't gonna stop her from graduating and that some "dude with an African name" had checked all her books in and just because they were late doesn't mean she didn't pay all her fines, blah blah blah. It was horrible. I hope her mother is sorely embarassed by this horrendous human being this woman has become. i was embarassed to be a divinity student. i was embarassed to be a Christian. i was embarassed for her and everyone else. I deeply hope that no one ever has her as a pastor. Most of all, i hope that i personally never give such a bad name to my own school and my profession, let alone my faith and calling. That's my prayer and thought for the day. Lord willing, i'll make it.

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