NOTATE BENE

Sometimes an aspect of my personality called “Bitter Baxter” comes out.  It can be piqued by any number of matters, but generally he comes out when I think I have justice on my side, even if the issue is a minor.  I try to keep the bitter locked away as much as possible, but sometimes he gets out.  He got out the other day at the BYU art museum.

Gwen and I were admiring an exhibition of Victorian-age art.  It was well posted to not touch the art.  Every other painting had a sign next to it saying so.  Being good citizens, Gwen and I did not touch the art.  We did draw near to read the descriptions and occasionally admire finer details.  Yet, we were mindful to not touch the art. Imagine our surprise when a security guard entered the room and informed us that another guard watching the security cameras wanted to remind us to stay 18 inches away from the pictures.  We said thank you, and he left.

Then Bitter Baxter came out.  If they wanted us to stay 18 inches away from the art, why didn’t the signs say so?

In another exhibit, we found a comments box where I wrote the following:

If you want patrons to stay 18 inches away from the art, please say so.  It is degrading to be approached by a security gurad to be scolded for not obeying policies that are nowhere posted.  Please post all policies you want us to follow, so you don’t have to treat us like children. (Those were my approximate words; I don’t remember what I actually wrote.)

I signed by name, address, and email address.  I want to see if they respond.  I was bugged.  The guard said he was giving us a “reminder.”  A reminder of what?  Is this some rule that all art history majors expect everyone else to know without being told?  (Claire, maybe you can answer that.)  Gwen was calm about it, and just laughed about my note of complaint.  She let me get it out of my system and then moved on.  We hope she doesn’t have to deal with Bitter Baxter again any time soon.  And let’s hope my note doesn’t get us blacklisted by the BYU art musuem.