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About three and a half years ago, my sister borrowed a movie called Donnie Darko from the library using my library card. Since I didn’t personally borrow the movie, I unintentionally neglected the due date and did not return the DVD on time. With that said, a $10 late fee was charged to my name.

Now, as for paying the $10 late fee…That, I purposely ignored.

For those who know me, and know me well, you’d know that I’m a fighter. When I feel that there’s a reason to fight for something (no matter how minuscule the subject is), I will fight at all cost, and I won’t stop until I win. That’s just me, coz I’m crazy. So, when I found out that the library was asking me to cough up 10 bucks for not returning a movie that costs $7.99 on time, I called, “blatant injustice!”

I knew that if I wanted to win this “battle”, I would need to avoid the library long enough until they write off my debt. My dilemma was; not knowing how long.

I initially avoided the library for 1.5 years. I thought, by then they would have forgotten and forgiven my debt, but I was wrong. As I was checking out the book Lucky Man (you should know that resisting Michael J. Fox is an impossible task for me), the library clerk asked me to pay the, “$10 you owe for over a year now.” I told her that I didn’t have anything on me, so I’ll pay her next time. She agreed to this…and I knew I just lied to her face.

Then today, two years after that incident, I had this sudden urge to go to the library. Perhaps, subconsciously, I wanted to make amends, or perhaps not. I went anyway. At first, I had planned to have my brother check all my books out. Then, as a last minute decision, I decided to just face my destiny and check the books out myself. I needed to turn myself in, cause life as a fugitive is kind of boring. I know that I’ve already exhausted the fight, and that I needed to move on with my life.

“Your library card please?”

I nervously gave my library card to the library clerk. I watched him scan my card…once, twice, thrice.

“Hmm, it seems like your card is not working anymore, you haven’t been here in two years, no?”
“Nope.”
“Well, I can get you back into our system if you have a piece of identification card with you.”
“Ok.”
“All right, cool. You’re back in. Ok, these books are due in three weeks.”

And folks, just like that, I was off the hook! It may have taken 3.5 years, and my card being canceled, but I didn’t have to pay that blasted $10 late fee!

So the moral of this story is, I WIN!

Filed under: Tell-A-Tale | 2 Spoke »