Friday, December 15, 2006

The Librarian: Search For Dignity at the Gym.


I was dutifully walking at high speed on the treadmill last night when one of my usual humiliations occurred...

THE SETUP: The treadmills at the gym are lined up in a long row facing about 6 TV monitors, each one playing a different channel (with subtitles for my viewing pleasure). Behind the row of treadmills is a row of eliptical machines and stairclimbers. On a level past and below the televisions is the free weight / machine weight floor area.

It's about 8pm and I'm walking briskly at a near jog-- sweaty and focused on not much of anything at all. The station I was located in front of (by random choice) was TBS and suddenly the words 'THE LIBRARIAN' popped up onto the screen. Yes, it was the start of that Noah Wiley made-for-TV-movie, 'The Librarian: Quest for the Spear'.

Mentally shrugging, I pretty much ignored it and continued walking. Suddenly, from behind me on the eliptical machines, I hear a snicker. Then several snickers. Then I hear someone say in a sotto voice, "And she's off to find her spear!" Hee hee.

The lightbulb clicked on above my sweaty head. I was wearing a T-shirt given to me by The Illustrated Librarian -- procured from a library conference. It read on the back: 'For the best information, ask your LIBRARIAN. '

I'd forgotten I was wearing it to work out in. There were four young Marines behind me who had obviously caught the title of the TV show and (since they didn't have much else to look at) read the T-shirt and thought the combination was hilarious. For whatever 21-year-old-boy reason. So they snickered and giggled and chortled until I finally finished my time and slowed to a stop.

I was doggoned if I would just let them mock me, so I gathered up my pride (sweaty and miniscule as it was at that point), and looked them right in the eyes, and smiled, "I'm the Special Forces librarian." With that bold-ass lie, I marched off to the squat machine for more torture.

I did notice that they gave me a wide berth after that. They either thought I was crazy, or telling the truth and might be able to mess with them.

Yet another big adventure for Infomatrix!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LOL...I got almost the same treatment from Ducky and The Geek Squad.

I was over at Duck's when one of the multi-plays of that lame-ass movie came on. I stated in no uncertain terms that neither I nor my librarian kindred, endorsed the movie.

That didn't stop them from watching it.

A scene came on where "The Librarian" is defiling an ancient Egyptian-esqe tomb, and a poorly-turbaned Arab-esque man comes yelling about how he was the "protector of the tomb," or some such drivel.

I stated flatly that that scene was much better when it was in "The Mummy," between Brendan Fraser and Oded Fehr, and I left the room.

Lame.