May Days: Prologue
I was the first one into work. I put some coffee on, got the table set up, and put away the microfilm. I checked my mailbox, turned on my computer, and put on my outfit. And then I went to open the door.
The patrons waiting outside, who included a couple of our regulars and the Genealogical Society, came into the lobby to find Batman waiting for them.
"What's with the costume?" one of them asked.
"They say 'Dress for the job you want, not the job you have'," I said.
I went back to the graphic novel section, where I was set up for Free Comic Book Day. A few minutes later, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and Captain America walked in.
I grinned at them---Katelynn, Savanah, and TJ. "You guys look awesome. My god. What did you make that Two-Face mouth out of, Savanah?"
She grinned with half her mouth. "Elmer's glue and clay."
"You notice you always split yourself down the middle?"
"Yeah, my mom pointed that out, too."
"We have all the comics on the table," I said. "Let everybody take one. We're selling raffle tickets to benefit the library---First prize is a set of Green Lantern rings, second prize is an X-Men DVD, and third prize is a Marvel comics coffee mug."
"Give me ten tickets," said Katelynn. "I really want those rings."
"You feel like getting an obit for me?" I asked. "I need one on Mary Ball Armstrong."
"Sure," said Katelynn. "I can do that."
"It's for an article. Somebody said I was wrong about her."
"You get about a quarter of your articles that way," Katelynn said.
"That's probably a little low," I admitted.
We sat at the table, handing out free comic books and selling raffle tickets. I paraded around dressed as Batman. I said,"Man, I have like no peripheral vision in this mask. I've discovered Batman's one weakness....Anyone who approaches from slightly off to one side."
A little while later, Holly came in, dressed as Harley Quinn, and Mike and Kyra came, dressed as Manga characters I had never heard of. My wife dropped by with Paul.
At the front desk, Diane, Adam, and Zach watched as I knelt down by him, still in my Batman costume. He looked at me inquisitively.
I took off the Batman mask, so he could see it was Daddy.
"HAH!" he said, delighted. Everyone laughed.
The time went by. We took photos, handed out comics. The kids and I talked and kidded around with each other.
"Guys," I said,"Thanks for coming today. It's the first of May....May is always a little rough for me. My mom died in May, my grandmother died in May....And then I always get Mother's Day, which sucks....So I appreciate you being here. Thanks."
Savanah smiled. "Glad to, Lou."
"Plus," said Kyra,"We get to dress up."
About three, Katelynn said,"So are we gonna...."
"Yeah, let's draw the tickets. Let me count up the money."
I figured out the money, and said,"We made over twenty-two dollars on this. Not bad, considering we didn't have to do a whole lot to earn it. TJ, Mikey, Katelynn...Go ahead and draw."
Savanah won the DVD. Katelynn closed her eyes and stuck her hand in the can. "I'm not going to cheat, but I really want those rings...."
She pulled Holly's name. I handed Holly the rings. She laughed, and said,"I'll give you one."
"Katelynn," I said,"Come on back to my desk."
She followed me back. I picked up a packet of Green Lanterns rings and handed them to her.
"I know how bad you want those. What nobody knew was that I ordered a spare set, just in case. They're yours."
She almost teared up---Katelynn's subtle, but I saw it. She said,"Really?"
"Really. You're my sidekick, you're my friend. You can have them."
"Thanks, Lou," she said, and gave me a hug.
"You've been a good friend, and a good team member," I said. "Giving you the application to join was the best move I ever made."
The patrons waiting outside, who included a couple of our regulars and the Genealogical Society, came into the lobby to find Batman waiting for them.
"What's with the costume?" one of them asked.
"They say 'Dress for the job you want, not the job you have'," I said.
I went back to the graphic novel section, where I was set up for Free Comic Book Day. A few minutes later, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and Captain America walked in.
I grinned at them---Katelynn, Savanah, and TJ. "You guys look awesome. My god. What did you make that Two-Face mouth out of, Savanah?"
She grinned with half her mouth. "Elmer's glue and clay."
"You notice you always split yourself down the middle?"
"Yeah, my mom pointed that out, too."
"We have all the comics on the table," I said. "Let everybody take one. We're selling raffle tickets to benefit the library---First prize is a set of Green Lantern rings, second prize is an X-Men DVD, and third prize is a Marvel comics coffee mug."
"Give me ten tickets," said Katelynn. "I really want those rings."
"You feel like getting an obit for me?" I asked. "I need one on Mary Ball Armstrong."
"Sure," said Katelynn. "I can do that."
"It's for an article. Somebody said I was wrong about her."
"You get about a quarter of your articles that way," Katelynn said.
"That's probably a little low," I admitted.
We sat at the table, handing out free comic books and selling raffle tickets. I paraded around dressed as Batman. I said,"Man, I have like no peripheral vision in this mask. I've discovered Batman's one weakness....Anyone who approaches from slightly off to one side."
A little while later, Holly came in, dressed as Harley Quinn, and Mike and Kyra came, dressed as Manga characters I had never heard of. My wife dropped by with Paul.
At the front desk, Diane, Adam, and Zach watched as I knelt down by him, still in my Batman costume. He looked at me inquisitively.
I took off the Batman mask, so he could see it was Daddy.
"HAH!" he said, delighted. Everyone laughed.
The time went by. We took photos, handed out comics. The kids and I talked and kidded around with each other.
"Guys," I said,"Thanks for coming today. It's the first of May....May is always a little rough for me. My mom died in May, my grandmother died in May....And then I always get Mother's Day, which sucks....So I appreciate you being here. Thanks."
Savanah smiled. "Glad to, Lou."
"Plus," said Kyra,"We get to dress up."
About three, Katelynn said,"So are we gonna...."
"Yeah, let's draw the tickets. Let me count up the money."
I figured out the money, and said,"We made over twenty-two dollars on this. Not bad, considering we didn't have to do a whole lot to earn it. TJ, Mikey, Katelynn...Go ahead and draw."
Savanah won the DVD. Katelynn closed her eyes and stuck her hand in the can. "I'm not going to cheat, but I really want those rings...."
She pulled Holly's name. I handed Holly the rings. She laughed, and said,"I'll give you one."
"Katelynn," I said,"Come on back to my desk."
She followed me back. I picked up a packet of Green Lanterns rings and handed them to her.
"I know how bad you want those. What nobody knew was that I ordered a spare set, just in case. They're yours."
She almost teared up---Katelynn's subtle, but I saw it. She said,"Really?"
"Really. You're my sidekick, you're my friend. You can have them."
"Thanks, Lou," she said, and gave me a hug.
"You've been a good friend, and a good team member," I said. "Giving you the application to join was the best move I ever made."