Carrie Baker – The Growth Collective

Today I had to be in town while Pablo (the family car) was in for an annual roadworthy inspection.
As it was drawing closer to the time he was due to be finished (45mins), I wandered passed the auto shop. I saw Pablo sitting with his boot open and a man inside.
I asked how he was getting on (the man – not Pablo), to which he replied that it was taking longer than he thought. They weren’t able to pass the inspection because two of the lights were blown. The one he was having difficulty with was the brake light because he couldn’t work out how to get to it, Pablo’s a tricky beast.
I apologised for it being a difficult job (I say sorry too much), thanked him for is hard work and said I’d wait for the call as to when he would be ready.

Unfortunately, I’d done the rounds at the shopping centre (I didn’t need to spend anymore money!) and I felt a little deflated that I wasn’t heading home.
So I did the only sensible thing and went to one of my favourite places to pass time; the library.

I didn’t wander the aisle as I usually do, instead I sat in a chair and watched life happen around me.
It was completely fascinating!
I people watch daily as I go about my business, but have never actually purposefully watched as I had the chance to do today.

The types of people who frequent my local library are a motley crew to put it mildly.
And it dawned on me, this was a veritable buffet of potential characters for the novel I’m (occasionally glancing at) working on, or any other works in the foreseeable future.
I’ve found a character gold mine!

Here are a few:

*An eccentric older man with curly grey hair, gesticulating whenever he spoke. He spent his trip to the library, monopolising the time of the young female librarian with blue hair. He needed ‘help’ with the computer.

*The male librarian who seemed bored with each task that required he speak to a member of the public, flitting between helping someone on computers, to putting away books from the returns trolly, and standing at the desk answering a myriad of questions.
When he was left alone at the service desk, he absentmindedly fiddled with his hair where it was thinning at the top.
The only time his face lit up was when the blue haired librarian came to complain about the time wasting old guy with the curly grey hair and gesticulating arms.

*An olive skinned middle aged lady with floral print pants on, stood at the desk with Mr librarian. She appeared also to be very good at asking question after question, just when it looked as though she were done she would be speaking again. I watched the line grow behind her, she had staying power despite the restless crowd gathering and growing.

*Then there was a lovely old man in a two tone brown and bone knitted cardigan, who didn’t bother anyone. He just hobbled in slowly with his walking stick in one hand, library bag of books in the other and headed to the self service machine. My butt left my seat when he dropped his walking stick, but he managed to get it himself.
I gave him my best smile when he hobbled past me again, his load lighter this time.

If you are stuck for character ideas, take yourself down to your local library (the closer to the dodgy end of town the better), and watch the magic.
Also don’t forget to take a notebook and pen, or you might just look like a psycho…….

Just Write It!