Let me set the scene.

Let me set the scene. I had stuff to drop off at the library before they were late and I accrued fees. Ha! Like they weren't already late and I was merely trying to mitigate the fees. Regardless, I swung by the library with a handful of items for return and a couple of items to pick up.

As I approached the front door to the library and man of a very expensive looking road bike pulled up, hopped off the bike and started walking towards the door, pushing the bicycle along beside him. In my younger years I was somewhat of a bicycle guy, so I asked him if he raced. He ignored me and that's when I noticed the ear buds in his ears. I indicated he should pull them out and he did. Once more I said, “That looks like an expensive bike. Do you race?”

He replied, “Yes,” in a manner that indicated he didn't want to talk about it. Okay. Maybe racing was a sore subject for him. I made it to the double doors first and noticed he wasn't parking his bike anywhere outside. Was he taking it in? I didn't think much of it since there was a vestibule with magazine racks and whatnot. I figured, like me, he was just dropping something off and didn't want to take the time to get a lock out and secure his bike to something, but instead decided to leave it in the vestibule for a minute while he stepped inside.

Since he was obviously bringing his bike in I went ahead and opened the door for him so he wouldn't have to try juggling a heavy door (they are heavy, most people, handicapped or not, use the automated handicap feature) and a bicycle at the same time. He said, “Don't worry about it, sir.”

I replied, “It's not a problem, go on in.”

To which he replied, “I'm good. Go on in.”

I looked at him, then the bike, mentally shrugged and stepped on in to the second set of doors, which I opened and held for him fully expecting him to set the bike to the side and follow behind me. Once more he told me to go on ahead.

Whatever.

Inside the library I dropped off my items and went to the section where they place 'holds' for people to pick up and found the ones waiting for me. I noticed the man had brought his bicycle into the library proper and left it parked behind a recycling center and garbage can near the door.

It must have one expensive bike. I don't know – I didn't ask.

As I'm checking out at one of the automated machines I see the security guard approach the guy. We weren't close but for once I was glad the library was designed to carry noise as far as possible. I overheard snippets of the security guard talking to the guy:

“...you can't bring the bicycle inside …”
“...it's behind the recycling stuff...”
“...we have bicycle racks outside...”
...something I didn't hear clearly…
“...the bike racks have places for chains and locks...”

I could only surmise that the security guard told the guy the bike wasn't welcome inside and that the bike racks were designed to be able to lock your bicycle down. I kind of empathized with the bicycle guy for a minute because that same security guard had admonished me once for moving a table a few feet so my laptop's power cord could reach the wall socket.

As I was leaving I noticed the bicycle guy walking back towards the front door. His bicycle was parked right next to the doors so I slowed my steps until he moved closer. I still arrived at the doors before him so I opened them to let an elderly couple in. Guessing that he was leaving and knowing he needed to get the bicycle outside, while at the same time wanting to let him know I'd had my own run ins with the security guard, I opened the door and held it for him. “Hey, …” I said.

“You don't have to hold the door for me,” instantly came out of him mouth in a less than friendly tone I took as him being put off by the security guard.

“It's no problem, I ...”

He cut me off, “I can open my own doors. I'm not your bitch. You don't have to hold doors for me.”

Wait! What? I hold doors for people all the time. Women, the elderly, people carrying things. Contrary to online belief, I'm actually a very nice guy.

I looked at him for a second, all empathy gone. “Wow. You're just a dick,” I said before walking off, letting the door slam in his face. My only regret is not recording the whole encounter, but who records every second of every day?

As I reflected upon the whole situation I thought maybe he was deferring to me since I was probably 10 to 15 years older than him, but now I see it as him just being a giant asshat.

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