Billy Jesson and Joe Allegro, Class of 1982
Audio transcript:
"(JA) My name is Joe Allegro. My recollection of the library is working here [Uris Library] as a work study job a few nights a week at the difference desks. The job was helping kids who would bring in books to return them or find reference books -- things like that. And we used to play a little game.
(BJ) My name is Billy Jesson. And I was also in the work study program, class of ’82. And I really enjoyed working at the reference desk. I think we had a little skit that would keep things interesting at the reference desk.
(JA) We used to entertain ourselves. I am not sure anyone else except us appreciated it. That’s all that was important.
(BJ) Well, it was a good stress relief for all involved.
(JA) So, our little game was, when Bill and I worked together which was a couple of nights a week, it was called “The Intimidation Game.” And what the game consisted of was when Bill and I were sitting together at the desk, and someone was approaching the desk, was to put on our most evil, vicious face to try to intimidate people.
(BJ) And of course the game was to try to get the person to ask for the reference material from the other person and the skit kind of played out someone would come up to you and you would say “Can’t you see I’m on the phone? Go see the other guy.”
(JA) So that way, whoever had to actually help a person, lost.
(BJ) It was a lot of fun. We, of course, eventually helped everyone.
(JA) Yes, if they wanted it.
(BJ) All the time, making them feel a certain level of discomfort.
(JA) There were always a few people who made a U-turn and I think came back the next night. But, for the shifts we were on, we kept score for a while. I can’t remember who ultimately was ahead in the game, but it was a fun game. It passed the time for us.
(BJ) It was definitely endurable for us. [laughter] And we got a lot out of it.
(JA) [laughter] We got a lot out of it."