Shhh.

Hearing that sound in my local library always annoyed me, especially when it came from one

of the librarians.

I'm always hearing on the news how libraries are struggling.

These would just be thankful a group of young people like my friends and I choose one

as a haunt.

I live in a medium-sized town on the west coast.

We're not quite L.A., but drive a few hours and you're firmly in California.

I'm not going to give you any more details on that, because I don't want you to come

looking.

I'll be honest, I don't think the reason my friendship group is now me, myself and

I, is unique to our manifest destiny era Ram Shackle wooden local library.

I'm holding out hope that it is though, so I'm going to do everything I can to make

sure nobody comes snooping around.

This is a warning, not an invitation.

We started hanging around and eventually in the library last year.

With the protests and lockdowns, travelling to L.A., or one of the other larger cities,

didn't have the same appeal.

It certainly wasn't an enticing prospect for our parents.

So either by parental law or whatnot, we spent the summer of our sophomore year finding

things to do in our sleepy hometown.

Since the bowling alleys or theatres were closed, our members only for the time being,

...