This is a dialogue between a librarian and a patron.
Librarian: It’s a modest position.
Patron: You’re humble. I love librarians.
Librarian: We enjoy serving the community.
Patron: I’m deeply indebted to you. I can’t begin to express my gratitude for your help with my research.
Librarian: You made it evident to me, which is a good start.
Patron: I wish I could trade places with you.
Librarian: I wish I could be a scholar, like you. I’m most comforted when I’m surrounded by books. You’re a light in the dark. A beacon of knowledge in a world filled with ignorance.
Patron: You, too, shine bright. I’m impressed with your search strategies.
Librarian: Oh, I’m showing? I’m pregnant with ideas and possibilities. I like to make connections, the interstices of my imagination is where the light shines.
Patron: I don’t know if that’s the right usage of interstitial.
Librarian: Humor me. You like to look at branches of knowledge. Sunshine beams through the interstices of tall trees. You look for overarching concepts. That’s wisdom. We, here, have a pyramid with data at the base, information a step above, knowledge getting closer to the top, and the pinnacle being wisdom. I love library science. It simplifies everything. We are the least complicated of the social sciences.
Patron: You make discovery possible. I could go nowhere without you. The library card is like my passport to a whole new world. I learn so much and grow so much with each visit.
Librarian: Imaginative travel? That has a poetic ring to it. Circle back when you’re done reading those books you checked out.
Patron: Will do! See you.
- Yerusalem Work
In “Humble Beginnings” Yerusalem cleverly adopts a dialogue style of story telling between a librarian and patron. This meaningful conversation blossoms toward mutuality in the two roles. In addition to a great story, Yerusalem’s choice of visual aid brings the reader closer to her description, “sunshine beams through the interstices of tall trees. My favorite sentence.