The summer my dad made me return a library book that was already due

I was 14, standing at the front desk of the public library in Madison with a $1.50 fine and a book I hadn't even finished. My dad refused to just pay it, he made me walk back inside to explain to the librarian why I was late and ask if I could do chores to cover it. She just waved it off and said kids are late all the time, but he stood there watching from the doorway the whole time. I still get nervous when a due date sneaks up on me... has anyone else's parent turned a tiny mistake into a whole ordeal like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

derek_schmidt624d ago

Honestly my dad once made me apologize to a parking meter.

danielr9418d ago

Makes me wonder if your dad was trying to get you to see how ridiculous some apologies are, @derek_schmidt6. Like maybe he was testing how long you'd go along with it before you realized you were arguing with a hunk of metal.

milestaylor24d agoOG Member

Maybe your dad was trying to teach you that taking responsibility for small things builds character... but he forgot that a librarian waving off a fine was also a lesson about grace. My mom did something similar with a late video rental, made me write the store manager a letter explaining myself, and the manager just laughed and threw it away. Made me realize some adults take their own childhood shame and pass it down without thinking.