SBR 1.2: Bookworm

"'A letter about a library, a red door, and disappearing patrons...'"

Events of Note

 * Sam attempts tarot reading for someone else for the first time.
 * Sam finds a "scrap of cloth with a stiff brown stain on it" in the P.O. box

Summary
Sam begins the episode talking about the strange breeze in the studio which shouldn't exist, given that the studio is in a windowless basement. They talk about the books left in the studio and the handwritten notes inside the books. He finds particular interest with the book about tarot reading, and decides to give reading for another person a go. He struggles slightly, not sure which way they pulled the card out, but gets to an interpretation eventually.

Sam talks about how when he was just the 'lowly P.O. box boy' he would just sort the letters, sometimes having to read them and sometimes just knowing what they said without opening them. He notes the stained scrap of cloth with an address on it with slight disdain.

They then read an email from Collin Donald Rowlins about his local library. Collin talks about how there are troublemakers who regularly harass the staff. He watched the new librarian, an elderly lady, deal with one such person. She tells the troublemaker that 'You ought to be quiet, as this is a library, after all. Would you please wait for me in the reading room’. Collin describes how the man walked away, as if he wasn't in control, and made his way upstairs. After a moment of waiting, Collin followed, and states that although he could find no trace of the troublemaker, he could instead see an old red door with a brass plate that said 'Reading Room'. Collin states that he has never seen this door before in his life, despite going to the library almost every day. About half an hour later, Collin saw both the librarian and the troublemaker enter the Reading Room. Collin waited to see what happened, eventually trying to open the door himself. He notes the terrible smell of meat, before stating that it was getting a bit late into the morning, and so he left.

Sam does not have much to add to this, save for the fact that they have apparently had several encounters with strange doors, though none of them feel relevant. He assures the Listeners that Madame Marie will most likely be back next week, and bids them goodnight.

Characters Featured

 * Sam Enfield
 * Madame Marie (mentioned)

Listeners writing in/mentioned:


 * Miriam in Bedfordshire, tarot request regarding applying for a new position at work
 * Collin Donald Rowlins, emailing in regarding the new local librarian, and the Reading Room

Trivia

 * Sam says that "I have had several unfortunate encounters with very strange doors, but I don’t know if any of them would really be relevant." which may be a reference to The Distortion from The Magnus Archives, an entity notorious for manifesting doors.