No fighting allowed!

Wednesday, at Library, while everybody else was at lunch and I had at least a dozen Patrons in attendance, there was an incident. I was at the main Circulation desk when I heard shouting from the next room where there are some computers for the public to use. A 20-something man using a computer was being yelled at by another 20-something man standing nearby him. I walked to within about 12 feet of them and heard something like, "Come on man. Let's go outside and settle this." The tone was threatening as was his posture. I said in my best Librianist voice, "Please don't make me call the police." The man continued yelling. I said again, You either need to stop this or leave. I WILL call the police. " I went back to the circulation desk and stood beside the telephone, just in case. The "standing" man came out and told me the reason he was angry was because the other man was sending threatening emails to his home, and that "we" shouldn't let him do that! I told him we don't have any control over what people do Online. He said we should keep a better eye on people and I said we couldn't watch what people do! I also ask him if he wanted the police to come and settle things. I offered twice. He left. Nothing else was said. I looked out at the parking lot and didn't see him hanging around so I didn't do anything else. Soon the man who had been on the receiving end of the shouting and accusing left. He also didn't say anything or offer anyexplanation . Weird! When my supervisor and the Director came back from lunch and I told them what had happened, we sort of thing perhaps there was more to the situation than what had been said. For instance, if somebody was sending threatening emails to my home, I would call the police myself and welcome their visit. He apparently didn't want that to happen. One can only imagine why. At any rate, the rest of the day passed without further incident. Working with the great unwashed public is just far too interesting sometimes.