Blob Thing and his person were wandering in Newcastle city centre. They had successfully completed at least one of the jobs they had to do that day and for Blob's person that was enough. She was tired and the streets were noisy with sound, movement, light and smell and it was all getting to be too much. But Blob didn't want to go home just yet. He wanted adventures. He wanted to see something new. Or at least to go somewhere quiet where he could share a drink with his person. He told her that a quiet cafe would be just the thing and that it would help both of them - because Blob was getting a bit overwhelmed too but didn't quite want to admit it. Blob's person agreed. As long as they could go to a cafe with at least some natural light. With no music playing. And with a comfy chair. She decided that they could go and see whether the refectory in St. Nicholas Cathedral was quiet that day. Maybe there would be space on the sofas at the end of the room. That would be good. If the refectory was too much then they could sit together for a while in the cathedral and that would be good too.
Blob Thing was pleased with that. He had never been to the cathedral before. He hadn't liked Durham cathedral because he couldn't have pictures of himself taken there. His person assured him that it wouldn't be a problem in Newcastle. No stern looking man in robes would swoop down upon him and tell him off. Blob liked the sound of Newcastle Anglican Cathedral. Blob's person also told him that if they did see any of the staff members there then it was okay because they were all very friendly.
To the cathedral. A fine idea. Maybe Blob and his person would calm enough that they could get at least two of their jobs done that day.
But then Blob's person changed her plans. Suddenly. Without warning. Blob got a bit anxious about that be she assured him that her new plan was just as good. She said that Blob would enjoy himself with the new plan and have quite an adventure. They might even drink tea in a place where she had never drunk tea before. The pair stopped outside a big doorway and on the wall was a sign saying "Literary And Philosophical Library." A library. Blob likes books. But he wasn't sure that he would be able to have "quite an adventure" in one. He might look at a book but Blob Thing isn't a member of any library and he doesn't think that most libraries would allow him to join. He doesn't have any official forms of identification and most libraries say you need them in order to borrow a book. Blob's person said it was okay.
Then she confused Blob a little more. She said that she wasn't a member of his library. It cost money to join and she hasn't got much of that and doesn't know whether she would use the library enough to make it worthwhile. With hundreds of unread books and unlistened CDs at home it would be unlikely that she would borrow piles of books. She would quite like to join one day though. Blob thought all this was very strange. Why would his person be taking him into a library when they couldn't even borrow books? Very strange indeed.
His person assured him firmly. This would be "quite an adventure." She promised him that he would enjoy himself and would probably want to go back. [Blob's person wants to go back. It would be a pleasing place to sit and read and write and make notes and play with pieces of paper in an effort to write something more substantial or of higher quality than Blob's blog.] Blob is shocked. How could his person have said anything like that? His blog is amazing. At least he thinks so. It's unique too. What other person from his species has a blog? Nobody. [Ah yes, but that's not a fair question is it Blob? There are only two people in your entire species, you and Winefride, and she hasn't got a blog and can't communicate enough to be able to write one. It would have to be written entirely for her, a photo and a description. That would be okay though. That's what your blog was meant to be before you took over.] Blob admits the question wasn't fair. But he still thinks his blog is amazing.
The pair walked up the steps and through the door and into a very impressive entrance hall filled with portraits of people, statues and a grand staircase. This was a library? What kind of library could this be? Blob's person said that it wasn't quite like the main city library they go to sometimes. It was a little bit like the library he visited in Manchester - in an adventure he hasn't yet told you about. That was an amazing day. He saw the library, those sheep he talked about in a recent post, a long walk by a canal, bridges, a very posh place for drinking, an amazing building containing a war museum, and even a visit to the actual Blue Peter garden, which is much smaller than you probably think.
At the top of the stairs Blob stopped for a photo. This hall was amazing and he wondered who all the people were, why they were all men not women or non-binary gender people, and whether if he was better at magic he could draw them all out of the paintings and they could enjoy a tea party or go and eat ice cream by the sea or perhaps they would all write a guest post for Blob's blog. It would be excellent if Blob and that man in uniform could write a post together about an adventure in a sea battle.
And then Blob walked through the door into the main library. His mouth opened wide with amazement. Yes, it can do that. There's just no photographic evidence because Blob likes to smile his best smile for photos. The Literary and Philosophical Society Library was truly a place where adventures might happen. Blob Thing wondered why he had never been to this place before. It was truly a marvel. Marvellous enough for a blog post. Marvellous enough for three of them. All those books. All those shelves. Blob got quite excited by it all. You can possibly tell from his face here.
Blob Thing made his way further down the library and kept gasping at the sight. This was worth it. But would the toilet be as ancient as the one they found in the Manchester library? Could anything be quite that ancient? [Yes Blob something could. Remember that piece of papyrus you saw in Manchester, the oldest surviving piece of the New Testament in the world. That was much more ancient than the toilet. Now get on with talking about the Lit and Phil.]
This place was amazing. Blob wanted to see it all. He wanted to jump about and climb to the very tops of the shelves on the upper floor and see what the books were. Some of them looked very old indeed and he thought they would probably smell amazing. Ooh yes, he would love to take those books, open them, get in close and take in deep breaths and inhale the gorgeous scents of the different papers. He would love to feel the surface of the paper if it wasn't quite flat and press himself against the page edges and fall into the experience. Blob wants to go back and do that. His person says they can do it but only if he is very careful not to damage any of the pages when pressing against them.
And there at the end of the room, near the entrance to another big room, was a place to get tea. There was even someone there to make it for them. The people said to help themselves to biscuits too and to have however many they wanted. It was lovely. This was a place with no music playing. It was a place with lots and lots of natural light from above. And it was a place with somewhere comfy to sit.
Blob Thing was very happy that he hadn't gone to the cathedral that day. He decided he wanted to visit it sometime - and he has visited it since and had a good time. But for that day, the Lit and Phil had been a superb choice. Well done my person!
What an amazing place for a cup of tea. Blob wants to drink more tea there and wants his person to go and sit and write there. Maybe eventually she will go there so much that she joins the library. She says that lots of events happen there and Blob could even go and learn about the art of bookbinding. For that first visit though, a cup of tea was sufficient. And three biscuits. Blob suspects his person actually wanted more than three biscuits. He thinks she would have wanted an entire packet. He suspects that three was the maximum number of biscuits she judged to be polite.
Blob and his person felt a lot better. This was a fine place and by the end of the cup of tea they didn't feel so overwhelmed. Perhaps they would manage to get a second job done. Maybe even a third if things went really well. How could anyone fail to feel better with a cup of tea and when surrounded with books in a gorgeous building?
They would go back out into the city. Into the maelstrom of different sensory noises. The energy gained from the library would make it possible. But first Blob thing wanted to explore some more. He found himself an adventure in the adventure library. Today he hasn't got time to talk about it so that will have to wait until his next post. And then he plans another post with pictures of himself walking round the library and in that post he wants to talk a little bit about the library itself. What it is, why it is, why it has such a long name, and the astounding connection between the library and light bulbs.
[1745 words]
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