Crazy Guy

Yesterday, the placid silence of the Oak Park Public Library was broken by the terrified screams of a man that we could not see.

Turning from their laptops, folding newspapers, looking up from broad tables covered with reference books, people began frantically searching for the source of the disturbance with their eyes. The man's desperate panting could be heard beneath the squeaking of his sneakers moving back and forth across the floor. For a moment, he emerged from behind a bookshelf and met eyes with the room of concerned patrons. At this, a few taller white guys stood up, adjusted their khaki shorts and headed off towards the man. "We'll just see about this!!" Ten minutes later, after everyone had settled back to their reading, security arrived and did a customary fruitless sweep of Chicago Biography section.

Newspapers were unfolded.

Laptops exited sleep mode.

And I sat there wondering about the screamer.

Was he just some crazy guy? Or had he perhaps just woken from a nightmare? If he was indeed in danger, no one would have believed him. Thats not how it works.