Today I went to the library to return something for the spousal unit and to pick up a book for myself that was on hold at the front desk. This isn't any "out of the ordinary" event. MiniMe goes to the library almost every single day after school, her dad frequents the library for books on CD to listen to during his two hour+ commute for work and I'm certainly no stranger either.
I went up to the desk and they retrieved the book without asking my name (like I said...not a stranger) and when they started to check it out to me they told me a fine popped up on the screen by my name. Although I'm not the type of person who accrues library fines, I'm also not the type to refuse to pay them even if I think it's not legit. (Don't ask...I have no idea.)
Anyhow, I asked what the book was and what the date of fine was...
It was for a Robert Heinlein science fiction work called "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" that I checked out and read in December of 2005 at the suggestion of a net friend. I don't remember it being returned late, but I paid the whopping fifty cent fine anyway. It made me remember a lot about that book and I was *this* close to saying I'd just check it out again, too.
5 comments:
I have never had a mistress, so I can not make a qualified comment on the mistressness of the moon, but I would be willing to take Mr. Heinlein's word for it. (Is that a properly grammitisized sentence?) I applaud your honor bound tendencies to pay a fine that you know nothing about. By the way you have a fine with me for $25,282.36. It is for something back in March of 1986. I take paypal and cash.
In March of '86, I was a sullen child, neither borrowing or lending anything but a dour look and a bitter attitude.
Sooo...
We'll just call that "paid in full". ;O)
"The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is really a book that deserves to be owned.
I don't disagree!
Where should I contact you with my shipping address? And THANK you.
:p
"Secrecy is the cornerstone of all tyranny. Not force, but secrecy... censorship. When any government, or any church, for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, "This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know," the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives. Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything. You cannot conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him."
- Robert A. Heinlein
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