The Librarian

"Ukrania Triptych: Part 3"

The corridor of a thousand lights seemingly went on for ever. She knew that it did. It took about twenty five minutes to walk it's full length. She had visited the librarian at least four times since discovering her observing talents. The librarians office was a largish, piled high room at the very end of the empty corridor. She knocked, heard an unexpected grunt, and went in. The librarians assistant grunted again as he sharply left the room. A few moments later the librarian entered and stared at her blankly. She was slightly taken aback. After her last visit, about eighteen months ago, they had gone out for a pleasant meal and had even discussed the possibility of a sexual liaison. He continued staring blankly as he pulled his black round framed glasses from the pocket of his long black cloak. It was then that she remembered his librarian's extreme short sightedness. His face changed as he focussed the glasses. He clearly recognised her. He gripped her hand and shook it enthusiastically making small tornadoes of dust and motes rise from the sleeve of his old black coat. After several minutes of effusive greeting she explained why she was there, about the trolley bus and the lone passenger. Despite the brief flicker of disappointment at letting go of her hand he immediately set to work vigourously investigating her trouble.

Although wan and limpid in appearance the librarian leaped up mobile steps pulling down book after book, tutting, and pulling down more. He indicated that she should sit down, it may take him a while. After several hours, during which time the assistant had brought her a small pot of black tea, all the librarian had to report was occassional references to a myth. A myth, to which her loose description of a lone passenger and her more complete detail of the driver could be made to fit. The librarian was plainly exhausted, the observer, she was stiff from sitting on the hard backed chair. They agreed they could do no more. They agreed, much to the librarian's pleasure, to go for another pleasant meal.

The librarian knew a short cut to circumvent the lengthy corridor. As they came out at street level the trolley bus sat gently idling across the dusk laden street. They stared in disbelief at each other.