Today on G.I.C.: Passive-aggressive South Siders!

[muckefuck]

So we had this guy come in and ask where some meeting organised by Reference for members of the Civil Engineering Dept. on distance learning was. He was graying, so I called him "sir" and he snapped, "Don't call me that, I'll think you're talking to my father." I asked if he had called the department and he said he'd left a message for his father there telling him he'd meet him here. All he knew about the meeting was the time and that it was in this building somewhere. That wasn't much to go on, but looked at the Meeting Maker entries anyway and didn't see anything likely. I suggested that, since Reference was organising it, he talk to them. "I didn't say 'Reference'", he said, "you said 'Reference'." Then I suggested that, since it was distance learning, that he go to the East Wing. I started to explain to him how to get there and he replied, "I went here for four years, I know the East Wing." He didn't really want to leave, he said, since he thought his father might come by at any moment. I suggested again that he might want to call the department and he shrugged it off. He said, "So my best bet is to go to Reference and if they don't know then the East Wing." Yep. "How do I get to the East Wing?"

Finally, he shambled off to Reference. My co-worker leaned over and said, "I was about to leave, go to Circulation, and call this number." He confirmed that the guy had said "Reference" and that he knew how to get to the east wing.

When I last spotted the guy, he had found his father--who also didn't know where to go--and they were setting off in a direction. I heard the father ask, "Did you ask how to get there?" and him reply, "I cut her off." as they moved out of earshot.