Last winter I lost a library book.

No, I didn’t misplace it; I know exactly where I lost it.  I had gone to a public place to eat lunch and do some shopping.  I had my arms full with a coat and a purse and a library book and a shopping list and reusable shopping bags.  I sat for a while eating my lunch and reading, then I went shopping.  When I got home and unloaded everything from my car, the book just wasn’t there.  I called the public place to see if some kind person had turned it in.  No luck.

A day or two before the book was due, I went to the library and ‘fessed up.  Since no kind person had turned the book in there, either, I paid for it.

That was several months ago, so I assume someone out there has, free of charge, a mildly interesting mystery novel with heavy-duty binding.  I can only hope that person has enjoyed it, maybe shared it with friends.  It would break my heart to know that he or she just threw it away.

A few weeks ago I turned off 21^st Street onto the entrance ramp to I-470.  There was a book lying there.  Even from a moving car, I could tell it had library binding.  There’s a little pull-off right there and traffic was light, so I stopped.  I walked back and picked up the book.

No, it was not THAT book.  We’re talking coincidences here, not miracles.  But it was a book from our local library.

On the way home that evening, I went by the Fairlawn Plaza library book drop, fully intending to return the book to the library that way.  But the Bookmobile was there, so I was able to hand the book to a real person.  I had the satisfaction of telling her my story, and she gave me a nice verbal pat on the back for my kindness. 

So, you out there.  You whose kid threw the library book out the car window onto the entrance ramp when traffic was too heavy for you to stop.  Yeah, you.

You’re welcome.

Posted by Sharon under Laughter | No Comments »