9/18/2004

 

Well, my back WAS better...

That is, until today, when I attempted the seemingly simple task of entering the library. Let me explain...

The library has two entrances. The back door is a standard wood single door with a doorknob. The front door is a pair of double doors, with vertical door handles with the things you push down with your thumb to open the doors on the outside, and push bars on the inside. The front doors are also wood.

All of the above doors swell tremendously when it rains. Well, since we seem to be averaging a hurricane a week lately, they are VERY swollen. Worse than I've ever seen them. Getting them closed and locked yesterday evening was difficult.

So I got here today. Normally staff goes in and out the back door. No go. It takes one hand to turn the key in the door and hold it turned, leaving only one hand to pull on the (wet) doorknob. That door wasn't budging.

So I went around to the front. These doors, at least, you can unlock and then put your keys down. I yanked at each door individually, then yanked both at once (they usually open easier that way). I braced my foot on one door and pulled on the other one with both hands. These doors were at least budging, if not opening, so I kept trying. After a couple minutes my student assistant got there, and it ultimately took her pulling on one door and me pulling on the other to get them open. Ack. I was really starting to think I was going to have to call campus police to come open the doors!

And I gotta close them back this evening. Damn hurricanes.

2:20 PM