Sunday 7 December 2014

I Don’t Like Asking Permission to Sleep

Okay, so yesterday was a productive day at the library even though I was forced to move half way through. Okay I wasn’t shoved out of my favourite spot, I lost it fair and square. 

Around about lunch time I usually pop out to Wanda to make a bit of lunch. Since I am not about to leave my laptop and all of my stuff setup in the library, I pack up and take it with me. 

Usually my spot is there waiting for me half an hour later, but yesterday it wasn’t. To make it worse all of the other spots up in the quiet study area were taken too, well all the ones with a power outlet.

Ah well, I just moved down to the main floor and set up on a tiny table with a power outlet at its feet. I had just enough room to put the laptop and mousepad on it. Call me old-school but I like a mouse with my laptop okay. It was okay as I was just editing but it was more public an area than I am used to working in. 

Around the walls of the main floor are art hanging, for sale I think. So there are always a number of people walking back and forth behind me looking at the art. Up in my usual spot, it is a quiet study area so the only people moving about are fellow quiet studiers. 

I did get to edit and fatten two chapters (two passes each) and ensure that they were the specified ten pages long. It is fun to add in the extra bits to tell you a bit more about either the characters or Tanea in general. It is not non-sequitur stuff, it relates to what is happening in the chapter at that moment.

After the library I decided to run Jenny and stay the night there as my bank was not far. It seemed like a logical decision and this mall has not given me any grief before. 

Well, I had just fired up Jenny when a security pickup truck pulled up. I gave him my usual greeting “Hi, do you want me to leave?” Let’s face it that is what these security types always say to me, never has it been “Wow, that’s a great RV, can I look inside!” 

The security guard was polite and told me that I didn’t have to leave but I did need to get a permit and “register” with security. I said fine and turned Jenny off, locked up and went off to get my permit. The Security Guard went his own way too.  

I was in the mall, on the escalator down, on my way to the security office when I wondered what information they would want. I kept thinking of things like: Name, Address, phone, driver’s licence, social insurance number, you know, the lot to make sure I am not a criminal.  

I understand and respect that security has a job to do and they were doing it. They were not mean, nor were they on a power trip, or out to get me, it was their job and they were polite about it. 

I just decided that I really didn’t feel like giving them any information just to park there overnight. I probably could have just put down disinformation on the little piece of paper. You know, have fun with it “Jimmy Hoffa.”

 Lying just isn’t my style. If I am a guest in your hotel or campsite, I begrudgingly give you that information, but just to park in your parking lot? No thanks. 

Since the parking lot of the shopping centre was personal property and I do respect their right to specify their rules to stay on their property, I left. I packed up and went to my favourite spot in my “western home” and was not bothered all night. I ran Jenny for two hours to charge up the batteries. 

I have some errands to do today as today is payday, so that means banking a bit of shopping and then back to the library for more work. I know it may be silly as it was just a piece of paper so who cares right? 

I am not a criminal or hiding from the law, or do I have anything to hide. I just still feel that my personal information is that, personal, I don’t want to hand it out for a cup of coffee or in this case, for no reason at all. 

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