Brooklyn Secrets Read Free

you for coming to the rescue.”
    He smiled. “What I’m here for. You know, most of the time it’s a boring job, library security. Most exciting thing I do is tell kids to behave or leave.”
    â€œI’ll be happy to let your boss know what you did. How’s that?”
    â€œâ€™Preciate it.” He checked to make sure the car doors were locked. “You come along now. My name is Wilson.”
    The library instantly felt like a refuge from the street outside. It was calm and quiet and pretty. Shabby, perhaps, but welcoming. It wasn’t a bit like the library in my own childhood neighborhood, a building with all the charm of an airplane hangar.
    â€œMs. Talbot,” he said to the tall, gray-haired woman at the desk, “this young lady was coming for a visit right here and had a little run-in with those boys been bothering Savanna. You know the ones.”
    â€œThey’re back? My word, what a nuisance. Would you let Savanna know you’ll walk her home?” She turned to me. “Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”
    â€œI’m fine. Really. It was just a little scary there for a minute. It’s not like I scare easily but there were more of them than me. Um, Mr. Wilson came to my rescue, actually.”
    â€œI know all them boys.” He shook his head. “Two of them already done some time. Not one of them goes to school or works, neither one. They’d rob their own grandmother if she had anything worth taking. One of their good dads threw him out ’cause he a bad influence on the littler ones.”
    Ms. Talbot said, “You were on your way here? What can I do for you?”
    She was surprised by my explanation. “Not much happens to write about here, except the bad things,” she said. “Around here we have gangs and guns and most people are just struggling. I’ll certainly help if I can.” Her manner was forthright but warm.
    â€œWell, I know some of the history of this building.” I showed her Espy’s photo of the same building, perfectly recognizable.
    â€œThat’s when this place was brand-spanking new. Poor old thing, it’s worse for wear now. Well, I’m not what I once was either.” She chuckled. “In fact, we’re closing soon for a renovation that’s way overdue. I mean decades. I’m happy to show you around.
    â€œThis has not been a special children’s library for I don’t know how many decades. It wasn’t even when I was growing up around here, anyway. Now we have the children’s section over here on the right. Look around you.”
    The fireplace presented an elaborate fairy tale scene with a castle painted on the tile surround. There were very old, Gothic-style benches with rabbit heads carved on the armrests.
    â€œYes.” She smiled. “We have a few original items. They have promised me—in blood, mind you!—that they will still be here after the renovation.”
    â€œEven the outside looks impressive to me.”
    â€œYou got that right. The head of children’s work back then fought for it, to make it a place of beauty and imagination.” She nodded emphatically.
    We walked toward the adult section. There were computers, all in use, and a bookcase of trade manuals and prep books for licensing exams.
    â€œThat’s the most popular section for adults. Like I said, folks are struggling here. Getting something like an MTA job or a taxi license is a step up. Otherwise, adults mostly take best sellers, urban paperbacks—you know, life on the wild side—and sports and music bios. We carry graphic novels, too. And…” she lowered her voice, “we have a reading skills workshop that meets here so we keep a bookcase of easy-to-read adult books. They circulate more than you might think.”
    She suggested I look around at will and then come back to her office. Savanna, the young girl at the desk, could show