On Which Kafka Could Scarcely Improve or, Library: 4; Zh.: 0

Imagine: as soon as I start spending quality time in the library, it starts pissing me off.

I approached the library from behind, which means walking up a ramp and entering on the second floor. I've walked there, so I stop at the cafeteria and buy the biggest bottle of water they have. Then, because peeing isn't allowed on the second floor, I go up to the third floor to use the facilities. Since I'm on the third floor and since there is an entrance to the stacks elevator (which is the only way to get to the stacks, which start on the ninth floor) on the fourth floor, I take the escalator (one of two options, the other being an elevator, for travelling between the first four floors) to the fourth floor. The stacks entrance is closed. The library has been open for two hours. I start heading down to the first floor. The down escalator between the second and the first floor has been barricaded. I walk around to the motionless up escalator between the two floors and wait for the people heading up the escalator to reach the second floor (these escalators are the width of one person. No passing!) and start my journey down, where I just miss one elevator and then wind up in the next one with three other people. I press the button for the twelfth floor. An aging hippie is going to the ninth. Another grad student is going to the tenth. And this odd guy who is always in the stacks is going to the eleventh.

I haven't missed the library at all.