0:00

[music]

0:14

Thank you for joining us. My name is Hunter. I'm one of

0:17

the library assistants here at Library Partnership. And Glen is one

0:21

of my favorite patrons. He always makes the day a little bit

0:24

peachier. Would you like to introduce yourself?

0:27

Yes, my name is Glen Battle. I am a person who comes to the library a lot.

0:32

That's true. We see you almost every day. Could you tell

0:36

us a little bit about your interests?

0:38

Well, I have a lot of interests. I love to garden. Love

0:42

to sing, draw. Do Special Olympics. Basically anything what's fun to do.

0:49

Anything what's fun to do. And you said you always have fun, so -

0:49

Glen: Yes.

0:52

All right. When did you first start drawing and doing art?

0:56

I had to figure out a different way to release my stress,

1:01

because I always like to break stuff of my own. Cuz that's what

1:06

I'd known as to do, break my stuff. But when people told me

1:10

there's other ways, they brought me some fuzzy posters, and they

1:17

had some colored pencils, markers and pens. So I said, I'll use

1:22

the pens. And from there, it just went off. So I start coloring

1:27

and drawing to release my anger when I get mad.

1:31

How long have you been doing art?

1:34

I'll say about, I started when I was like, nine. And now

1:39

I'm about to be 45.

1:41

So all your life. All right, and how does the library

1:46

help support your art?

1:47

Um, they put it up so everybody can see. And they say, Oh,

1:53

this is nice. And so people can see and they, like - whoa, we've never

1:59

seen person color with pens before. And it might, it looked different.

2:06

That makes sense. And what inspires your artwork? It sounds

2:09

like somewhat, it's driven by anger. But I've seen a lot of your

2:14

art and it doesn't all seem to be driven by anger and stress.

2:19

Some, some of it's come by from anger, stress, but the majority

2:23

of them - actually, most of them come by letting my mind wander. And

2:29

just well, this tiger don't have to be this color. So just come

2:35

up with a different color. So I just think about what other

2:39

color would, it might look nice in or cool. So it just, whatever my -

2:46

I let my mind wander, I just put on music when I'm happy. I just

2:51

put on music. And don't think about what colors, I just let my

2:55

mind wander and my mind just guide my fingers to pick up what

3:00

color and I just go away. Just let it go.

3:04

Now you mentioned gardening. So what have you grown from

3:08

the seeds that you've gotten here?

3:10

The tomatoes, the squash, the corn, the flowers, basically

3:17

all of them except for I'm waiting for the cantaloupes to come up.

3:21

So a lot of different things. Okay, did you garden

3:26

before you started getting seeds here? Because I noticed you

3:29

seem to have a bit of a green thumb.

3:31

Yeah, I did it when I was in high school and plus foster

3:37

foster home. That's where it really started because, all my

3:42

childhood, I was in foster homes, I was moving from foster

3:46

home to foster home. And I went to this last foster home and I

3:50

was there for three years. And that was a living pain for me. I

3:56

got treated like a slave and all that kind of stuff and called all

4:01

kinds of names and got beat up. And so she went to the store and

4:05

she brought a whole bunch of garden stuff, about I'd say

4:09

about $3,000 worth of stuff - plants, flowers, bricks what you

4:13

walk on, mulch, bird bath. And she said here, and I plant the

4:19

roses, did all of that stuff. So I taught myself how to do

4:23

gardening stuff. And that's when I had to - actually, I said, Well, I

4:27

taught myself, so might as well keep on doing it. So I turned that

4:33

negative into a positive.

4:35

Very good. Sounds like you did that with the art and

4:38

with the gardening. Yeah, that's good. I don't know if you know, I

4:42

actually grew up, my mom always had a garden so I was not self

4:46

taught. I learned but that seems like something that's kind of

4:50

hard to self teach, you know, trial and error. Did you kill a few

4:54

plants along the way?

4:56

Yeah, cuz you had to break some eggs to learn how to make an

5:00

omelet. So yeah. But also, I brought 'em back to life because my

5:06

specialty is rosebushes. And I went to the school in Fort Myers

5:12

and the teacher said, well, I don't got nothing for you to

5:15

do but hold on. And he came back he said, I got something for

5:19

you. I said, Okay. Took me outside and said, I got four rose bushes,

5:23

they is dead. He said, If you bring these back to life, I'm gonna

5:29

give you an A for the rest of the semester. I said, Okay, so I seen

5:34

what was wrong. They got, they had them in a small pot. That's why

5:38

they was dying. Because once the roots, the roots get bigger for

5:42

the pot, it'll start killing off itself and trying to send the

5:46

food up to the other places was dead. And it actually is killing

5:50

itself. So I took it out of the pot, put it in the ground, and I

5:54

clipped off the dead stuff, and watered it every day. And then next

5:59

thing you know, they started getting buds back and he's talking about,

6:02

I don't want you to go because the roses started looking beautiful forever.

6:07

Oh, that's nice. That's nice.

6:09

Roses. Do you have any roses growing now?

6:09

Glen: Yeah.

6:12

Alright, very nice. Have you heard of the Alachua Rose?

6:12

Glen: No.

6:16

It's actually I believe a Florida native and they're smaller. Little flowers,

6:21

little roses. My mom has some of those in her garden. All right.

6:26

Um, what other unique ways do you think the library can help

6:31

people? Like, it seems to help with your art and with your

6:34

gardening - are there any other things you think we could help people with?

6:39

Well, y'all already doing it. Because when people

6:42

come in, y'all don't have to talk with us, our chat with us. Y'all

6:47

choose to, and that's what kindness go a long way in. And when

6:52

you see that, and people realize that you don't have no

6:55

problems. Because in the world, you need kindness. You can't be

7:00

always be mean because of - there's... People get shot over some stupid

7:04

stuff. Kid going around shooting people. These world, it's not

7:09

safe now. So kindness can go a long way.

7:13

The world needs more kindness. So we're already doing it, being

7:17

kind to people. That's nice to hear. We do try. Alright, what kind of

7:22

music do you enjoy?

7:24

I like all kinds of music except for one.

7:26

What's the one you don't like?

7:26

Glen: Opera.

7:30

Opera! Really!

7:30

Glen: I don't really like opera because it's like, [yelling]

7:34

I've only ever watched one opera. It was in a foreign

7:37

language. And they were all singing on top of each other. So the

7:41

subtitles couldn't keep up with it. And I couldn't figure out

7:44

what was going on.

7:46

But Nutcracker, ooh, I loved it. I was a little kid. They told me

7:50

we finna go to the Nutcracker. I said, Nutcracker? What, people getting kicked

7:55

in they private parts? They talking about no, it's not like that, so why they call it

7:59

the nutcracker, then?

7:59

Hunter: Well, it's like a Christmas nutcracker, y'know?

8:02

Well, I didn't know that at the time. They talking about - I mean, I'm not -

8:06

not finna watch this. I'm gonna go. I was in middle school, I

8:09

will say, and I'm not going to watch this. And something happened, I said -

8:12

the teachers said, wanna go? I said huh? I sat there watching it. I said,

8:17

no, I'm good, I'm - leave me alone, I'm watching this now. So I started

8:21

watching The Nutcracker. It was good.

8:23

You didn't think you'd like it. But you did. Has the

8:27

library helped you discover any new music? New kinds of music?

8:31

Yes. Because some people what I never heard of. I asked

8:35

you a couple of times, or some other people look up some names.

8:39

And I said I never heard of that person. So listen to that CD

8:43

and I listened to it. And I liked some of their songs.

8:47

What is your favorite movie? If you can pin it down to

8:51

one. If not, do like top three or something.

8:54

I like action movies, funny movies. But one of them, the

8:59

movie was what I like is with Jet Li, when he's fighting the

9:05

nation and out of all that, they poison him. And he still won the

9:12

match. But when they - when the guys seen that, he gave him to win

9:18

because he was fighting even when they poisoned him and that

9:21

kind of reminded me of when, about me. Because some some movies touch

9:26

me and I feel like yeah, that's like me, because I will never give up on

9:32

in the world.

9:32

Hunter: Even if you're poisoned.

9:35

Yeah, I would never give up on life because my last name is Battle, so...

9:39

You gotta battle, struggle and fight.

9:43

And other movies, Black Mass with Jet Lee.

9:43

Hunter: I don't know that one.

9:48

That's another Jet Lee movie? Okay.

9:48

Glen: Mhmm.

9:50

And, and Unleashed.

9:54

Unleashed. I do know that one.

9:54

Glen: And The One.

9:57

The One, yes, I know that one as well. Jet Lee.

9:59

I like Jackie Chan movies growing up.

10:02

Yeah, he's, he's funny.

10:03

He's funny, yeah. Less serious, Jet Lee is more serious.

10:08

I think his best movie is when he was in Rush Hour.

10:08

Hunter: Yeah.

10:13

With Chris Tucker -

10:15

Chris Tucker. I like Chris Tucker, too, he's funny.

10:18

Alright, how do you find new movies to watch?

10:22

Well, the previews on the movies. And that's what I write

10:25

it down if it look cool. I said, Oh, yeah, I want to watch

10:28

this. This look cool. Like today. You said, we don't have this

10:33

movie. I said, Man, I wanted to watch that. Because that look

10:36

cool. The king you?

10:38

Yeah. Kinichi, it was? Well, maybe you can recommend to

10:44

have us purchase it. And maybe we will. What do you think about

10:48

the selection of materials we have available?

10:51

I feel like y'all can have a little more - more of

10:57

options, because there's other movies of people, what plays in.

11:01

So you think we should like, get an actor and get all of their movies?

11:05

No, what I'm saying is, like expand the movies collection,

11:10

cuz I've mostly, I've almost seen all the movies in there. In the library.

11:16

You might be able to get more if you order them from

11:19

other libraries. The other ones in the district will have other movies.

11:23

Well, I'll - I go do that and, and bring it over here. Cuz that's

11:27

what I did with the at the other library when, when I was way

11:31

down there by the Dollar Store. I went to another

11:35

library brought movies back and CDs, because what's the name?

11:41

I can't remember that guy's name. The older guy with the long hair?

11:45

Glasses? Hunter: Nick?

11:47

Is it Nick? I don't know, I wasn't working here at the time.

11:50

No, you use here when that guy was here, because he

11:53

moved to another branch. He became the assistant, I think?

11:57

Yeah, that was Nick.

11:59

Because I knew him down there. And he told me, wow, you back

12:02

again. I said, yep. So every time when I come in, we always talk

12:06

and chat, saying, What? What's your goal today? Well, my goal is

12:10

to try to get over 80 CDs this time.

12:10

Hunter: 80 CDs?

12:15

Yeah, movies, CDs.

12:15

Hunter: That's too many.

12:19

Uh-uh, you can have up to 100.

12:21

Yeah, but how are you gonna listen to 80 CDs?

12:24

That's easy.

12:24

Hunter: You gotta keep them for a while.

12:28

Well, if there's certain songs I don't like I just go to the next one. [laughs]

12:33

That seems like a lot to me. What would you say is the

12:37

best thing about the library?

12:39

The people, the atmosphere, people always willing to help.

12:44

And the spaces of the rooms and the computer. Because too many

12:50

people don't come in, use the computer. And you always have a

12:55

computer. And plus, you will always have a desk or room. Because

13:01

people come want a private room. But you will still always have

13:04

a private room. And plus, you can observe movies, places so you

13:10

can watch movies and stuff like that. So that's - come in and relax.

13:15

So that's everything, almost, all right. Everything's your

13:18

favorite thing. Is there anything you think we could be doing

13:22

better? Besides getting more movies?

13:25

No, that's it.

13:25

Hunter: No, that's it?

13:28

Everything is peachy-okay.

13:28

Hunter: It's peachy.

13:31

Yeah. Every time you come in, we asked you how you're, you say...

13:35

Peachy.

13:35

Hunter: Just peachy, yup. Always doing peachy.

13:39

I usually just say I'm still alive. But your answer's a

13:41

bit happier. I like that, peachy. Why are you always peachy?

13:46

Cuz when life is going bad, I don't see - actually, I don't see

13:52

the bad, I still see the good in the bad. So that's why I try to

13:57

always be happy. Because you got one life. So you might as well

14:02

enjoy life have fun. So that's why - and peaches, they always

14:07

sweet. And it can be good. And you can have fun picking 'em with

14:13

other people. So that's why I say peachy.

14:17

I went peach picking once. Only once in my life.

14:20

You been peach picking? Glen: Mhmm.

14:22

With a whole bunch, me and a whole bunch of friends. We

14:25

were just like, Oh, we got to find the juicy ones. We got to

14:28

find a juicy one. And we had a contest.

14:28

Hunter: To see who could find the juiciest peach?

14:33

Yeah. And nobody didn't really win because we were just having

14:36

fun to try to find 'em.

14:38

Okay, well, you know, it sounds like you went through

14:40

some stuff in your life. You said the foster homes and people

14:44

being mean to you and such. Do you have any advice for anyone

14:47

who's going through tough times?

14:49

Well, yeah, you're right, I did went through a lot as I was

14:53

growing up and had a lot got told to me a whole bunch of lies.

14:58

But one thing is you cannot let it control your life. Don't let

15:05

take control of you. Because if you do you will go down and down

15:09

and down and you will never come back. So you got to keep taking

15:13

control of that situation and take control of your life to not let

15:18

the bad stuff take control.

15:20

Alright, that's words of wisdom from from Glen Battle.

15:24

Yeah, cuz I found out, cuz I was legally blind and

15:27

that affected my night vision and my [inaudible] vision and a lot of

15:32

people didn't know that. When I do sports and when I miss a ball

15:36

I missed something, they talking about, you didn't see that? I said no, I'm

15:38

blind. They talking about, I can't tell you blind because you be shooting three,

15:42

blocking, and - Yeah, cuz I told him, I don't let it control my

15:46

life. I take control of it. So that's why a lot of people don't

15:50

know I'm legally blind until stuff happens and I tell them.

15:54

Okay, I did not know you are legally blind. I just

15:56

thought you wore glasses. Is there anything else you'd like to

16:01

talk about while we're in here?

16:03

Just like to have fun. And if I don't tease you, I don't like you.

16:08

Yeah, you do tease me sometimes. You don't call me

16:11

old man, though. A lot of people come in here calling me old man.

16:14

John call you old man.

16:14

Hunter: John calls me old man.

16:18

Yeah. And what's his name, Carl.

16:20

Carl. Yeah, they call me old man. But you never call me

16:22

old man. You just call me Hunter.

16:22

Glen: Uh-uh. Yeah.

16:25

Alright, well. I guess that about concludes our interview, Glen.

16:30

All righty.

16:32

Thank you very much for being here today.

16:34

You are very welcome.

16:36

We appreciate your time.

16:38

I appreciate y'all time, too. If y'all want me to come back, I'll come back.

16:41

All right. Well, we'll be in touch I see every day anyway.

16:44

All righty then. Hunter: All right. [music]

16:59

Thanks for listening to Patrons & Partnerships. If

17:01

you know of an individual or organization you'd like to

17:03

recommend for an interview, email us at [email protected]

17:09

To listen to more episodes, find us anywhere you listen to podcasts.