**BREAKING: LIBRARY SHOCKER AS 50-YEAR-OVERDUE BOOK FINALLY RETURNS, COMMUNITY ERUPTS IN JOY**
In a stunning turn of events, the Fairfax County Public Library in Virginia was electrified yesterday as a copy of Walt Whitman’s iconic poetry collection, “Leaves of Grass”, walked back into the building – a whopping 50 years after it was due.
According to eyewitnesses, the library staff was left aghast as the book, which was reportedly wrapped in a yellowed envelope and sporting a faint scent of grandma’s attic, was deposited into the returns slot with a soft thud.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes!” exclaimed Library Director, Emily J. Miller. “We thought it was lost to the ages, a relic of a bygone era. But lo and behold, it just… showed up. We’re still trying to process the excitement!”
The book, which was reportedly checked out in 1972 by a then-25-year-old English major named “Bobby”, had been overdue an astonishing 18,250 days. Sources close to the library revealed that the institution had all but given up hope of ever seeing the tome again, and had even begun to suspect that it might have been spirited away to a secret underground lair of bibliophiles.
As news of the book’s return spread, the community went wild. Local residents were seen dancing in the streets, waving copies of “Leaves of Grass” aloft like trophies. A celebratory picnic was hastily organized in the library parking lot, complete with balloons, streamers, and a conga line of librarians.
“We’re just thrilled to have it back,” said Miller, beaming. “And we’re offering Bobby a special ‘Golden Return’ award – a year’s worth of free coffee and a complimentary library card for life.”
When asked about the book’s remarkable journey, a library spokesperson coyly hinted that it may have spent the past five decades on a wild adventure, passing from hand to hand like a literary hot potato.
“It’s a real page-turner,” quipped the spokesperson, “and we’re just glad to have it back on the shelf where it belongs.”
In related news, the library has announced plans to launch a new “Overdue Book of the Month” club, where patrons can come and listen to tales of other famously tardy tomes. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story!
