Retired

Let me tell you about my Last Day at Work.

It was Dr. Seuss Party Day and I had spent my Last Day Off From Work getting ready for it.  I had red and white striped hats and I had snack bags and I had props and shadow puppets and I had a script my middle grade tellers had written, based on "The Shape of Me and Other Stuff" by Dr. Seuss. 

I had turned "The King's Stilts" into an audience participation story.  I had trivia questions for the Dr. Seuss Facts and Figures Game Show.

Mt teen tellers were on alert with orders to be there early.

I was ready.

But I had to get through the morning.  That was tough.  Because people I really love, and they know who they are, kept coming in to say goodbye.  Thank heavens, I had a full box of tissues at our disposal.

I have been soooo lucky, all these years.  I sat at my desk, or worked in the shelves and the best people in the world came to ME, to talk; to ask my advice on books; share their funny stories; their poems; their successes; their worries. 

Those friendships will survive but I will have to work at it.  I can't just drive to work and know that sooner or later Jan or Connie or Jean or Amy or Denise or Deidre or David or Adam or Andrew or Jack or Christine or Kerry or Fuka or Mollie or Mark, the Origami Man will show up to brighten my day.  (Or Annette or Gloria or Grayce or Sandy or.....There isn't enough room here.  Or Joey or Ashley or Hayley or Erik or  STOP!  or Halle or Katie....)

Okay, enough wallowing.  Then there was the event.  I had four middle grade tellers and four teen tellers.  The teen tellers led the Game Show and the Funky Chicken.  The middle grade tellers did the Reader's Theater.  The kids made a lot of noise and we all had fun.  It was the biggest attendance at a school year performance in YEARS - if ever.

Someone gave the library a donation because it was such a great program.  As Suzanne said on hearing that, "Yesssssss!"

I was given wonderful gifts; a journal, flowers, an original card with pictures of my favorite things, origami pins and magnets (to die for), CHOCOLATE, and a book - written and illustrated and bound just for me by a wonderful family.  (Thanks, Katie, Evelyn, Chelsea and Sara).

Then it was party time and we all gathered for food, remembrances and fun.  George wore shoes!!  Not sandals. 

Kelly and Adam wrote ME a poem and I cried and cried.  I will post it here tomorrow.

Claudia came back from Maryland. 

Suzanne wrote and illustrated a book, entitled "If You Give Karen a Group of Kids...."  It was so funny and so true!

Betsy created a "fake" catalog record, just for me, commemorating an in-library competition.

I had messages from so many people and pictures through the years.

The tears are still falling but I am smiling, too.

Now, today, I plan to........