All Quiet in a Darkened Library
After my mother died, my father, who was 75 at the time, began to regularly visit the local library in Epping. He loved going there1 he enjoyed reading different kinds of books, especially reading the newspapers on Saturdays. The library had a small area, where the soft carpet, folding chairs and lap desks 2a comfortable space for independent reading. My dad would sit there for hours. This particular wintery Saturday, at about 12 noon, after being there for two hours, my dad 3 that it was very quiet and darker than usual. He looked around, realizing that all the staff had left and he had been 4locked in.
My dad was a “panic merchant” at the best of times, so I can only 5 what he was like when this happened. The doors had been locked from the outside and he had no way 6 He must have felt completely at a 7 since he didn't know some 8 for handling this kind of crazy situation. My dad looked at the noticeboards to try to find a 9 phone number—a staff member or someone he could ring to help let him out—but without 10 So he rang the police station and they kindly got in touch with the head librarian.
The head librarian immediately rang my dad back at the library, and 11that she would be soon there. She tried to 12 him and even explained how he could make a coffee if he wished. This was very nice, but my dad was in too much of a “13” to do so.
Thankfully, the head librarian arrived 14 the hour and let my dad out. She apologized for the15it had caused my father and sent my father back home in person. We were very grateful, since she could easily have been16at having to come back to work. The next day my dad seemed to17 from this accident. He almost forgot all about the unpleasantness, and even found his experience quite 18.
I guess the entire staff now makes extra sure that the library is 19 before they leave. What's more, my dad has learned an important lesson by himself—never again became quite so20in his reading.
