Overdue

Yesterday, I went to my public library’s website, and after punching in my library card # and pin #, I quickly covered my eyes while my daughter peeked at the screen to tell me whether it was safe to look.

I’m telling you – this is why I buy books.

I suck as a library user.  I really do.  I check out so many books, and I read maybe 1 of them, and lose the rest.

Yeah, my library has an on-line system, where I can log in and check what books are in my possession, and when they are due to be returned.

And yeah, it also has a “renew” button on the website.

Yep.  I am also signed up for email alerts when a book is getting near due.

Guess what else?

I have a husband who writes, and also reads like a fiend, and spends a million hours at the library (never wracking up fees, either).  he’s more than willing to take my books in with him when he goes.  If I give them to him.

______________________

Before we checked my account, we checked Lemon’s.  She was afraid of her overdue fines, too.  But she owed $2.50.  Easy to pony up with that chump change.

Once, a couple of years ago, I lost a book, and had a bunch of other books – one of which was a “Speed Read” (due in a week and not renewable  … even though I’ve never read a book within that required week; or even started it within that required week), and probably had some DVDs in there, too, and they accumulate $2/day or something obscene like that.  I went in, eventually, to settle up, and was informed that I owed $120.  No, I did not mean to put any decimal points in there.  I wrote the library a check for One Hundred and Twenty Dollars.

And yesterday, I feared it was worse.  I’ve been harboring this fear for at least a year.  I am not exaggerating.  I have avoided the library (a mere 3 blocks from my home) for that long.

When Lemon saw the result, she gasped.  I was scared.

$35.

Ha!  Pennies!  Absolute pennies!

I then came clean to her about the last time I owed money.  She was horrified that we share genetic material.

I paid on line, and then we all went to the library.  I checked out 3 books.  Exercised restraint.  Sort of.  Because I’m not really sure why I checked out three books when I’m still in the very beginning (p. 285) of a 1,000 page monster by Stephen King (because I am devouring it, and will be finished soon, that’s why!).

I’m sure I’ll read them before they’re due ….

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