Antoine at the Public Lieberry

At the Public Lieberry,

Antoine pulled “The Big Book of Certain Things”

from its stacks.

It’s a dusty mess

and heavier than he expected.

The Lieberrian says

he can’t take it out because

it doesn’t belong to the Lieberry.

She said

somebody left it sitting on the counter to the front desk,

then disappeared into the night.

She described this person as a thin-

haired, youngish white guy wearing hand-

scissored short-short cutoffs in denim material

smoking an unusual brand of cigarettes.

The Lieberrian went about her business

leaving Antoine alone at the counter to the front desk,

strongly indicating she'd be okay with him nabbing

“The Big Book of Certain Things” and skedaddling.

Under normal circumstances this would seem reasonable,

but Antoine wanted no part in this drama and walked out

into the afternoon empty-handed, but not entirely empty-headed.

at the Fall River Public Library