Fear And Self-Loathing In The Library

(We have a gay and lesbian section of our library. It’s relatively small, so you really have to know where it is to actually find it. A father and his son come up to the main desk.)

Me: “How can I help you today, sir?”

Father: “You should ashamed of yourselves, displaying this filth for anyone to see. My son could have found it!”

(The man throws a book at me, which I realise is a gay fiction book. Without actually reading the title, the design of the cover offers no suggestion that it is gay fiction.)

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that you have been upset by this. Was it in the wrong section?”

Father: “No! It was in the sinful corner!”

Me: “On the top shelf, where you literally have to look up to find it?”

Father: *throwing his hands up* “I should’ve known. You’re one of the [gay slur]s. I bet you have been sneaking these in undercover to try and convert innocent children!”

Me: “Sir, my sexuality has nothing to do with you, but if you continue to use language like that I—“

Father: “Get…”

Me: “Will…”

Father: “Me…”

Me: “Have…”

Father: “A…”

Me: “To….”

Father: “Manager….”

Me: “Ask….”

Father: “NOW!”

Me: *pause* “Of course.”

(I call my manager down, and the man spends about ten minutes berating her about how inappropriate it is to force gay literature on children, and how I should not only be fired, but executed for my crimes.)

Manager: “I’m sorry you feel this way, but there is nothing I can do. Homosexuality is not regarded in the same manner as you by me or any other employee at this library, and to do as you are suggesting would go against my moral code.”

Father: “Well, f*** your ‘moral code.’ [Gay slurs] are—“

(This is where everything gets very strange. The man starts describing, in excessively graphic detail, the sexual acts between several men, in full view of his son — who must only be about five. He spends so long doing it, detailing literally everything, from the genitals to the fluids and sounds, that my manager is stood there, mouth agape and a crowd gathers behind him. When he finishes, his cheeks are flushed and he is out of breath.)

Manager: *after a pause* “Well, I don’t really know what to say to that.”

Man #1: “Are you sure you aren’t gay, mate?”

Father: *spinning around* “WHAT?!”

Man #2: “Yeah, I’ve got to admit. That was pretty hot. I can’t imagine how you would know all that if you were disgusted by it so much; I didn’t even know some of it.”

(The father blushes before dragging his son out.)

Man #1: “It’s a shame people like him don’t feel comfortable enough to be themselves. Imagine what his son is going to think!”

(I never saw the father after that, but his son comes in with his school every other week.)

This story is part of the Pride Month 2023 roundup!

Read the next Pride Month 2023 roundup story!

Read the Pride Month 2023 roundup!