As much as I love libraries, I hate library fines.
I can have a perfectly wonderful day, like today – and then, Boom! In big bold italic RED letters, as if the message itself screaming at me from my laptop isn’t bad enough:
YOU HAVE OVERDUE FINES ON YOUR ACCOUNT.
What?!!! When…?!!! How the…?!!! I am always completely taken aback. I am a borderline OCD gatekeeper of all public library exchanges that happen between within our household, frequent and voluminous as they are. I meticulously keep track of the dates, returning items usually well before they are due. I am at the library so often people mistake me for an employee there! I never heard of an employee paying a fine.
My first impulse is to contest the charges. Those were renewable items. It’s really their fault for not sending me a timely reminder (they did, but I ignored it just like I do all the other e-mails landing in my Black Hole IN-box)
Then I want to bang my head against the wall for being such an idiot. And all this for…
Two bucks!
TWO stinkin’ dollars.
I can afford to pay $2. If push came to shove, I could even fork out $3. I don’t need to terrorize poor old library lady and plead… plead what?!!!
Guilty as charged?
Then, I consider that our local public library system provides by far the best service in the entire world, actually delivering books to our doorstep, which, over the years have save me a bunch of mula. And now I am begrudging them for justly fining me this miserly amount that is helping a good cause, I love and wholeheartedly support?!!!
What’s wrong with me?!!!
Hmmm…. Good question.
As much as I hate fines, I hate even more finding out the answer to this question.
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