After 15 years of employment, the library continues to provide me with little jewels of humor and insight…Part One was getting pretty lengthy, and so, onto Part Two!

• A young boy came up to one of my co-workers and requested “The Life of Pi,” pronouncing Pi as “Pee.” When she tried to correct him, he insisted that he wanted “The Life of Pee.” Perhaps it’s a potty training book…?

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• As he tried to leave, a boy managed to tangle himself in the wires of one of our preschool game computers. A little girl was standing nearby, and as he fought to free himself, he began to plead to her: “Help me, my friend! Help me!”

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• A three-year old was really excited for Halloween, as she explained to one of my co-workers: “I just love your Halloween decorations. I love Halloween. I’m going to be a mermaid…like Ariel…you know that big mean Ursula? I don’t like her…”

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• Two little boys discussing marriage in the preschool play area. Boy One is insisting that he had gotten married (much to Boy Two’s disbelief).

 Boy Two: “Was it yucky when you kissed?”

 Boy One: “Well, SHE said it was yucky.”

Little do these kids know that this similar conversation is played out by men in bars all over the world.

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• When asked not to sit on our Duplos play table, a boy replied “I was sleep-sitting.” (Incidentally, sleep-sitting was how I got through some of my college classes…)

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• In overhearing a conversation between two children at our department’s Duplo table, one of the children blurted out “He’s dead! He’s dead, honey! He’s dead!” I’m not sure what precipitated this outburst. I just hope it wasn’t some sort of confession.

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• A little girl talking to one of my co-workers: “Librarian? I am very good. I am like a butterfly. I like to twirl. Watch! Librarian? I think the library is lovely. I really like what you do here.” Who could ask for a higher compliment?

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• A fifth-grade boy asking for a particular DVD (see if you can guess which movie): “This really old movie. It starts with the letter ‘P.’ It has dinosaurs. And the guy on the cover is wearing a pizza. And it’s old. I watched it on Netflix & my aunt said it was old. Oh, they drive cars with their feet.”

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• Overheard in the Youth Services Department: Girl (to another girl): “I recognize that you’re a girl because of your shoes. I’m a girl too!”

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Me: *Sneezes*

Little Girl: (running up, concerned) Are you okay?

Me: Yeah, just a sneeze.

Little Girl: Okay…bless you!

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• Child whispering to one of our game computers: “Bye-bye, computer. I’ll see you again, my friend.”

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• You know you’re getting old when…An exchange between a coworker and a child at the Youth Services Desk:

Child: (looking into a bowl of giveaway patches) What are these?

Coworker: Iron-on patches

Child: What’s an iron?

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• Overheard by a staff member:

Boy 1: “Do you live in (name of town)?”

Boy 2: “No silly, I live in my house!”

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• Another overheard conversation:

Boy 1: “Who is your favorite friend?”

Boy 2: “I don’t really have any friends.”

Boy 1: “Can I be your friend?”

Boy 2: “Yes!”