Library Day

My kids love to go to the library. I dread every minute of it. For several reasons. First and foremost, the old women who work at our local library are by far the meanest, rudest, most unhelpful women alive. And second, they LOVE to tell me how lacking my parenting skills are. Why I continue to agree to go to that library is beyond a doubt an absolute mystery to me. Glutton for punishment I suppose.

This morning at 6:15am my phone beeps. Email. My first thought is, "honestly, what is so frickin important that I need to be emailed at this time?" With one eye open I peer at the culprit who has violated my sleep. It's the library warning me to return a book on tape that was due in December. And when I say warning, I mean warning. It states they will continue to fine me if I don't promptly return the item. Not only am I furious that I'm awake, but I am beyond hysterical with rage at this library notice. I returned that book, along with several others, EARLY because I was going out of town. In fact, I am acutely aware of this particular book, because my boys loved it SO much they were very upset I had to return it.

Oh the dilemma. It's 6:15am and there is nothing I can do to rectify this situation. I am just stewing thinking of all the evil words that are going to come out of my mouth when I get there. By 8:30am I am so worked up that I have to go for a run. By the time I shower, take my girls to lunch, and get there, I am ready to tell those old bags to get a search warrant if they don't believe I returned the book. I mean honestly, how else would you prove you returned something? It's your word against their computers.

As calmly as I can, and noticing immediately two younger women working the front desk, I walk up and explain my email, the date I returned several items, and the names of those items. After the gal explains to me that sometimes things don't get logged back in, she walks over to the shelf and low and behold finds the item I returned. "I'm glad that was easy. We'll just clear your record", she says. Clear my record??? Like I'm some kind of criminal! Now I'm even more mad! First I'm rudely awakened with threatening email, then waste my time driving to the library, and then insulted. Knowing full well my children will trick me into going there again, I say thank you and leave. I hate the library. Yet one more reason for me to shop online!