Looking for Words

They straggled in looking bored

Three girls and a boy

The boy carrying a skateboard

“Leave that outside, please”

The boy mumbles “Geez”

The girls disappear in the stacks

The only evidence of their presence

The sound of the gum they smack

There’s a stealthy feel

To their listless meandering

Are they here to steal

Or do they hope to find porn?

Haven’t they heard of the Internet?

Ignoring the card catalogue

The girl in grunge runs her fingers

Along a row of reference books

I leave the desk and ergonomic chair

My bunker in this small library

And walk to where they loiter

The boy turns to look at the air

"May I help you find something?"

I say, being helpful with grammar

The grunge girl looks at me boldly

“Where’s your thesaurus at,” she says