If I had children, I'd want them to date at the library.

This past week I rediscovered an institution that made me feel good about myself and helped mitigate my distaste for our society's creation of things like Jersey Shore or Tool Academy (despite my hidden enjoyment of these shows.)

I was assuaged in my concern by visiting the public library--an institution that just exudes wholesomeness, in my opinion. It seldom changes over time; there are still the pleasant older women there to greet guests, recommend books, and gawk at the young man looking for American classics for pleasure. As I checked out To Kill a Mockingbird and classical music CD's, I like to believe that they were compiling lists of young single women for whom they had someone to introduce--so go my delusions. That or they wished they were years younger, similar to the words of my 7th grade science teacher who once regretted she wasn't my age and was hence unable to date me. Only in my old age do I now question that comment's appropriateness. Hmm.

During my visit, I saw a most peculiar event: two teenagers, clearly dating, were flirting with books in hand in the seats across the way. Innocent and pubescent, I couldn't help but wish to compliment their parents. No chaperoning parents in site, which would have been unnecessary as these two were doing nothing crude, simply conversing at a polite decibel. Had I kids and I accepted the fact that teens date, I couldn't think of a better place for them to loiter than inside the public library. Heck, I'd drive 'em.