9 DEC 04: THE BUSY SEASON

"What's the name of that Microsoft program that lets you do spreadsheets?" a man asked me at a library Wednesday night. This normally would be no big deal - except the man asking this was the librarian on duty.

I knew this gray-haired man from the reference desk of the late, great Bradley Library. He's apparently assigned to the South Columbus branch during the transition to a new main library. But he had helpers at the Bradley. Here he was all alone - and I guess his Microsoft instruction book still was in a shipping cart.

I'm not sure why the librarian on duty came up to me to ask the spreadsheet question. Perhaps he recognized me as a regular patron. Perhaps it was my glasses, making me look like a computer geek. Certainly it couldn't have been because I was about the only other white person in the area.

"Excel," I said in response to the librarian's question about Microsoft spreadsheets. Yes, that's the correct answer. If only I knew as much about fixing computers....

(Which reminds me: the "tech expert" at the computer shop told me Wednesday "ATAPI Incompatible" means I need to upgrade my Windows operating system. I use Windows 98 -- which at least still is newer than my TV set and my car.)

But I digress: the librarians at South Columbus Branch expected more activity with the Bradley Library closing. But Wednesday night was the first time I had to wait for an Internet computer Students were at most of the machines, working on projects - and I'm delighted to say none of them were named "Solitaire."

My correct answer to the Excel question did NOT win me a place at a library computer. I bided my time browsing South Columbus branch newspapers. How did the Atlanta Journal-Constitution learn about the sexual harassment complaint against Habitat for Humanity's Millard Fuller, when the Americus paper didn't have it for a year?

After 30 minutes of waiting, a big man strolled into the computer area -- wearing "security" on his jacket. Yes, libraries in Columbus have bouncers. Whether this man had brass knuckles ready for visitors from Lumpkin, I don't know....

The Security man at this branch library acted a bit like a lifeguard at the swimming pool - guarding against horseplay by young people. Random acts of crayons on adult books simply will not be tolerated.

"They're turning over quickly," the librarian assured me when I walked into the public access computer area. Yet I wound up waiting 40 minutes before a machine became open. Maybe now the rest of you will calm down, while you're in line buying gifts at the mall.

It would be nice if area colleges opened their computer areas to public use, during the library transition. Why, Beacon University might even attract some non-Christians for preachers to practice on.

Now other non-fiction items from Wednesday:

+ A 961-page file was released to reporters on the Kenneth Walker case -- enough to make the "anniversary news coverage" of his death go on for several days.

+ A fund was set up at Citizens Trust Bank to help pay for the medical bills of young Alnyce Peterson. Peterson was hit by Adam Johnson's pick-up truck in October. Come to think of it, does Sheriff Ralph Johnson have any leftover campaign money?

+ The B.P. station at Manchester Expressway and Veterans Parkway made a bold move, lowering its gas price to $1.69 a gallon. You can tell we've become used to high prices when there was NO long line to get to a pump.

+ Instant Message to the Columbus Times: Kari Tornabene. I mean, if you're going to list the names and titles of all the civil rights leaders in your front-page photo, you could identify her beyond simply "TV-9 reporter."

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