I received a letter from the library today. Addressed to my daughter, but of course, I opened it.
Apparently, my daughter has a book overdue, but not just a bit overdue; so fucking OVERDUE that the library collection staff have sent us a letter to inform us (well, really her, but I am still responsible) that her overdue book now has a fine assessed against her account amounting to sixteen dollars. They are trying to get this resolved and insist that after these past ninety days, they consider the book lost.
We can either return it and pay the fine or pay forty six dollars to replace it.
Kind of glad the letter hit me this morning, because I will have most of the day to "temper my temper" before I talk to her about the situation.
Last time my daughter got a similar letter, the mistake was at the side of the library.
NOt here. When we opened the letter, my daughter said, "Oh! I know what this is. I found it yesterday."
... and yet, YESTERDAY, she did not come to me in some state of panic, knowing that she had a book that was way, way overdue.