New Biddeford, ME Journal Tribune Article

Close Encounters of the Third Rate

By

Bob Cochran

I decided to take advantage of yet another gorgeous, sunny day here in Old Orchard Beach to check the New Non-Fiction section to find a good porch read. I was greeted by a sound straight from a 1950’s science fiction film. I inquired “who’s there?’

“Lawrence whelk.”

Needless to say I was relieved to discover that Lawrence was actually a whelk, not the long dead Master of Champagne Music. He and his friend from the aquarium, Epicrates the urchin, were giving the Circulation Desk area a going over with geiger counters, which were the source of those sci-fi sounds I’d heard earlier.

“What are you guys doing?” I asked.

“Haven’t you seen those basic cable UFO shows where they go over landing sites with geiger counters?” Epicrates responded.

“Sure...but they usually don’t land inside a library.”

“Well they did this time. Stanislaw the starfish was doing his aerobics, when he saw Libby coming out of the room where the Library of Things items are stored, carrying a frisbee. He gave it a throw. When it landed it began glowing and grew three times its size! Three beings who resembled Millard Fillmore wearing jeggings on his head emerged from the craft.”

“They questioned Libby intensively, mostly about Needums.”

“Needums, you mean the Maine potato candy?!”

“Yessir! Their entire civilization runs on them and they knew that our own Libby Lobster was a first-rate Needum maker.”

“Wait ‘til they find out Libby makes his with carp.”

“It’s too bad we can’t offer them a lot of bread for his return.”

“We can’t offer much of the financial kind, but the sandwichey kind, we’ve got lots!”

The Library, in conjunction with the Old Orchard Beach Community Food Pantry, is offering free bread and produce to the public. The Pantry drops off several boxes every Tuesday before Noon. Come check out the Library and help yourself, but it’s a good idea to get to the library around that  time, as it all goes fast! If everything is gone by Wednesday, the Library gets another delivery Thursday morning, so take what you need.

Lawrence whelk replied “Thanks for letting me know about that great bread giveaway. I’ve been staying away from the Library mid-mornings Tuesday through Friday, after all it’s meal time and I’m a tasty whelk!”

“That’s right! Libby Library is again offering free meals to those 18 and under. The meals are served Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 to noon. The meals are also available to anyone over 18 for a price of $3.00. The meals are immediately followed by our Summer Reading Program daily activity.”

Epicrates then asked me to assist him and Lawrence Whelk in putting away their night vision gear, geiger counters and other UFO hunting equipment.

“We’ve got to make the place look presentable for Sunday.” He said with great emphasis.

The reason behind that is our Library is now open Sundays from 10:00 until 3:00. The Sunday hours will be in effect through September 10th. That way you can pick up that last minute beach read or DVD for a rainy afternoon, or for that matter, a hot steamy one!

Keep checking these pages for more Libby Library news, as well as progress reports on the search for our missing mascot.