Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Who Knew?

It seems I no longer need hang my head in shame over my penchant for paying ginormous late fees to our local book-lending institution. According to this news article, the father of our country currently owes 300,000 dollars in overdue fines at the New York Society Library. Imagine my relief at finding my deadbeat self in such illustrious company!

He may not have been able to tell a lie; but he certainly had some sticky fingers, eh?

11 comments:

  1. My library problem is if someone else has a hold on the book, I can't renew it. Ugh. I scramble to finish but often have to pay a fine.

    My husband's family has a connection to old Geo W. A forefather was a spy for Washington. Totally cool.

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  2. I have paid my share--and more--of fines. I consider it money well spent.

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  3. We read this in the paper this weekend. WTH?

    Those books are long gone. And who are they going to get them back from anyway???

    It is interesting, him supposedly so honest and all. Do you think he kept the books on purpose? I'd like to know more...like, did he know they were overdue?

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  4. Hey, when you have a plethora of children, you easily become forgetful. You are in good company: after all, he is the father of our country!

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  5. Interesting! I feel better about my late fines now...

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  6. I just had the wonderful experience of having a collection agency call me because of my enormous overdue fines.

    I am so glad to know that I am keeping company with the Father of our Country. I knew there was something I liked about him!

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  7. They've got the titles:

    Wood Craft and Dentistry
    What to Expect when you're Expecting to Father a Country
    The Pelican Brief

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  8. The secret at my library is to wait and pay the fines only once a year. They cap them at $10, but they'll still let you check them out until you have around $100 or so accumulated.

    Every January I do the walk of shame and clear my name and then start working on next year's bill.

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  9. Fines tend to make people feel less guilty and sometimes can produce more of the behavior for which people get fined.

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  10. I kind of like paying my overdue fines--they're usually less than $1.00, though, and it makes me feel all cool to hand them a Washington and say, "Keep the change." You know, 'cuz I'm ALL THAT.

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  11. A friend told me he considers fines a donation to the library. I almost wish he hadn't phrased it that way - makes me feel less guilty.

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