Dialogue of Hairdresser and Tired Man
Cut for length (so to speak)
Them: So where do you work?
Me: (thinking) [ow] 'mdisabled Them: What? Me: I'm having some health problems but I'm doing med changes so maybe soon I can work again 8))))
Them: Oh, so where HAVE you worked? Me: [ow] I was a library page but you know layoffs 8)))) I volunteer at a children's science museum, though. I take the reptiles out and do demos, it's always a fun time. Them: Oh, that's cool. Where is it? Me: [Workplace] next to [landmark] Them: Oh, I've been there with my kids! Me: 8D Them: We went earlier this year and they were charging like...something ridiculous, $15 a person and there was nothing to do Me: 8X Them: We played with the magnets and stuff but it was so empty, they were charging that much so I really expected there to be something more, that's why it surprised me that you said you were doing stuff. Me: Well, we're doing our best, a few years ago we were doing so badly we nearly had to close down, but we're coming back from it pretty well. We had this cool hands-on slime lab that just cycled out, I'm not sure what we have in that space now...we have more playable stuff like costumes and water toys at our kids' branch, maybe your kids were a little young for-- Them: Well, I took my kids to this place in [super upscale wine country neighborhood] eight years ago and they had a theatre where you could put on a play and showed kids how to make 3D animals out of construction paper and there was a kitchen where they could do anything at all, you should have more stuff like that. Me:
Me: Um, we are...we don't have a lot of money or people, but we're always taking advice on what people want in [workplace]. What would you like to see? Them: I want my kids to be able to make their own instruments. Me: Uh... Them: You know, like rainmakers? Me: Oh! That's a really good idea! Them: You could even get people bringing in cardboard tubes and teach about conservation!
Me: We're big on conservation, we have a big area where we put all the cardboard we use or have people bring in and kids can build anything with it. I think maybe [HINT HINT] kids don't necessarily um...one or two kids might not want to strike out on their own, but when we get groups in, they make these enormous life-size mazes and forts and stuff, it's really cool [HINT].
Them: You should have water things, teach about how water...works...and gemstones, and mining, and...about the earth. Me: Well, we...we do what we can. We're always looking for things that are AFFORDABLE, sustainable, and fun. Them: You should do papier-mache! Me: Uh, we try to avoid anything...goopy. It gets everywhere. Them: It's just flour and water and paper, it's easy. Me: It is until you start thinking about who watches the kids, and who cleans up afterwards, and who organizes it... Them: Hm. Okay, here's your receipt. Me: Thanks. And, uh, I really like that rainmaker idea, I'll take that in. [Cardboard tubes. Beans. Fabric. Rubber bands. Boom. That really is a good one.]
Them: You have to play music to set the mood, have a backdrop, have your people or...volunteers, whatever, dress up in costumes from...where are they from? Africa, and make that experience.
Me: Me: Me: ok bye
tl;dr
today I spent the length of a buzzcut being told the non-profit science museum I volunteer at, the one where my supervisor nearly cried when I bought us a pencil sharpener that didn't have to be held at a 40-degree angle to kind of work because if we try to replace something that isn't TOTALLY broken expenses won't cover it, is charging too much and offering too little, and what we should be offering is cultural appropriation arts and crafts
and they, at their job, during their work, which I paid money for, forgot the hot towel