A Literary Crime Against Time (and Common Sense)
Seriously? Thirty-six years?! Someone returned a library book – Harry the Dirty Dog, for crying out loud! – after three decades and an international vacation. I cant even fathom the level of apathy, entitlement, or sheer obliviousness required to pull that off. Did this person think the Dewey Decimal System was merely a suggestion? Did they believe time simply ceased to exist once “Harry” left the library shelves?
It’s not like it’s a rare first edition of Shakespeare. Its a children’s book about, well, a dirty dog. And yet, this individual managed to accumulate a debt equivalent to a small car – or at least several semesters of community college. I picture the librarian receiving this ancient tome, carefully dusting off decades of accumulated dust and regret, while simultaneously calculating the interest accrued. It must be a monumental task!
This isnt about the money, though that’s certainly a problem. This is about respect. Respect for institutions, respect for other patrons who might actually want to read “Harry the Dirty Dog,” and basic respect for the concept of responsibility. Thirty-six years! That’s enough time for several generations of children to have experienced the joy (or lack thereof) of a clean canine protagonist. Im genuinely concerned about the future if this kind of behavior is considered acceptable. Perhaps we need mandatory library etiquette classes, starting in kindergarten. Or maybe just a very stern talking-to.
