It was a quiet afternoon in 1987 at the old municipal library. I was there with my cousin, looking at a display of historical maps. I noticed a man in a very long, grey coat. A thick leather belt was tied around his middle, and he carried a tall wooden staff. The back of his head was completely bald.
I glanced at him and then asked my cousin if she saw the man in the coat. She said she saw no one like that. I told her to come with me so she could get a better look. She still could not see him. I tried to move to see his face, but I could not. He kept walking slowly, seeming to study the old maps on the walls. Then he moved toward the staircase.
I urged my cousin to follow as I went after him. I was curious, as I had never seen anyone dressed in such an old-fashioned way. He turned to the right, starting up the stairs to the closed archives. I assumed that section was open for the day. But when I turned the corner to go up, the metal gate was shut and locked. The upper floor was dark and empty. My cousin asked me why I looked so surprised.