Dead? You Still Have to Pay Library Fine

My Way News ^ | 9/26/07 | AP

[varyouga]

HARRISON, N.Y. (AP) - Even the dead apparently have to pay the fines on their overdue books at one Westchester County library. Elizabeth Schaper said she was charged a 50-cent late fee while turning in a book that her late mother had checked out of a Harrison Public Library branch.

"I was in shock," Schaper said. "This has rocked me to my core."

Schaper's mother, Ethel Schaper, died at the age of 87 on Sept. 16 after suffering a massive stroke. A few days later, Schaper said she found a library book, "The Price of Silence," by Camilla Trinchieri, that her mother had checked out from the library.

...

"I told him that maybe he didn't hear me right, that my mother had just died, otherwise I'm sure that she would have returned it on time," Schaper said. "His only reply was that, 'That will be 50 cents.'"

[varyouga]

Shakin' down dead old ladies.

[dighton]

Don’t make them come for you.

[TheThirdRuffian]

Tell ‘em to send the bill.

[Ancient Drive]

drop 50 pennies on the counter when you go pay, and spread them out. That butt head needs to work it.

[catman67]

Don’t pay at all, just walk out. If they try to do anything to you, sue!

[N. Theknow]

Library has rules. Pay when you check out.

[varyouga]

Death & Taxes

So now it’s taxes after death.

[catman67]

How about “You can have my overdue library book when you pry it from my cold dead hands!”?

[SnakeDoctor]

50 Cents? An entire newspaper column was written because the relative of a deceased library patron was charged a lousy FIFTY CENTS!?!?

Maybe they didn’t know the lady died. Maybe they didn’t care. Maybe they wanted to go to the gumball machine.

Just pay the two quarters, and shut up.

H

[trimom]

What’s the big deal? Pay the 50 cents and walk away. All debts are supposed to be paid from the estate, anyway.

Asbestos suit on, flame away.

[waverna]

“I was in shock,” Schaper said. “This has rocked me to my core.”

Really?

I guess she found out The Price of Silence. $.50

[SampleMan]

"I was in shock," Schaper said. "This has rocked me to my core."

This over 50 cents?!? Must be a liberal. Wait until she finds out that the estate still has to pay the light bill.

[Gay State Conservative]

"We're going to take that 50 cents from you for the common good".

Hillary Rob'em Clinton

[napscoordinator]

“I was in shock,” Schaper said. “This has rocked me to my core.”

This women clearly does not have a life if this has rocked me to her core. Goodness sakes were talking 50 cents. Where do I send her the 50 cents so she does not have a heart attack. This woman clearly needs help.

[basil]

I'm with you--pay the half buck and shut up. Chances are that the guy working in the library doesn't care all that much if your mother is dead--he's just doing his job.

If you are really outraged by this, then take it up with the person in charge of running the library, who has the power to make a decision of whether or not to charge that 50 cent fee.

[tx_eggman]

50 Cents? An entire newspaper column was written because the relative of a deceased library patron was charged a lousy FIFTY CENTS!?!?

They gotta fill the fish wrap with something ...

[DBrow]

Well, if you don’t pay your library fine, you can’t vote. Pay up.

[Calpernia]

Hey, the dead maintain the right to vote. So, they may as well contribute financially too.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Wouldn’t it feel good to pay the 50 cents?

You are doing one last thing for your mother.

I think I would pay it with a smile.

[Proverbs 3-5]

Seinfeld Episode 22 - Oct. 16, 1991
The Library

JERRY'S APARTMENT

JERRY: Let me speak with the head librarian. ... Because it's absurd. An overdue book from 1971? ... This is a joke right? What are you? From a radio station?

KRAMER: enters

JERRY: Ya' got me I fell for it. Alright, OK I can be down there in like a half hour. Bye.

KRAMER: What's the problem?

JERRY: This you're not goin' to believe. The NYPL says that I took out Tropic of Cancer in 1971 and never returned it.

KRAMER: Do you know how much that comes to? That's a nickel a day for 20 years. It's going to be $50,000

JERRY: It doesn't work like that.

KRAMER: If it's a dime a day it could be $100,000

JERRY: It's not going to be anything. I returned the book. I remember it very vividly because I was with Sherry Becker. She waore this orange dress. It was the first time I ever saw her in a dress like that. In oticed since ninth grade she was developing this body in secret under these loose clothes for like two years. And then one day ...

FLASHBACK



LIBRARY

KRAMER: The Dewey Decimal System, what a scam that was. Boy that Dewey guy really cleaned up on that deal.



LIBRARIAN: Yes?

JERRY: Yes I called before. I got his notice in the mail.

LIBRARIAN: Oh, Tropic of Cancer, Henry Miller, Uh, this case has been turned over to our library investigation officer Mr. Bookman.

KRAMER: Bookman? The library investigator's name is actually, Bookman?

LIBRARIAN: It's true.

KRAMER: That's amazing. That's like an ice cream man named, Cone.

LIBRARIAN: Lt. Bookman has been working here for 25 years so I think he's heard all the jokes.

JERRY: Can I speak with this Bookman?

LIBRARIAN: Just a second.



LIBRARIAN: Mr. Bookman's not here.

JERRY: Not here? Why was I told to come down here?

LIBRARIAN: He'll be out all afternoon on a case.

KRAMER: He's out on a case? He actually goes out on cases?

JERRY: Well what am I supposed to do now?

LIBRARIAN: I'll have Mr. Bookman get in touch with you.



JERRY'S APARTMENT

JERRY: Oh, I'm glad you're here, so we can get this all straightened out. Would you like a cup of tea?

BOOKMAN: You got any coffee?

JERRY: Coffee?

BOOKMAN: Yeah. Coffee.

JERRY: No, I don't drink coffee.

BOOKMAN: Yeah, you don't drink coffee? How about instant coffee?

JERRY: No, I don't have--

BOOKMAN: You don't have any instant coffee?

JERRY: Well, I don't normally--

BOOKMAN: Who doesn't have instant coffee?

JERRY: I don't.

BOOKMAN: You buy a jar of Folger's Crystals, you put it in the cupboard, you forget about it. Then later on when you need it, it's there. It lasts forever. It's freeze-dried. Freeze-dried Crystals.

JERRY: Really? I'll have to remember that.

BOOKMAN: You took this book out in 1971.

JERRY: Yes, and I returned it in 1971.

BOOKMAN: Yeah, '71. That was my first year on the job. Bad year for libraries. Bad year for America. Hippies burning library cards, Abby Hoffman telling everybody to steal books. I don't judge a man by the length of his hair or the kind of music he listens to. Rock was never my bag. But you put on a pair of shoes when you walk into the New York Public Library, fella.

JERRY: Look, Mr. Bookman. I--I returned that book. I remember it very specifically.

BOOKMAN: You're a comedian, you make people laugh.

JERRY: I try.

BOOKMAN: You think this is all a big joke, don't you?

JERRY: No, I don't.

BOOKMAN: I saw you on T.V. once; I remembered your name--from my list. I looked it up. Sure enough, it checked out. You think because you're a celebrity that somehow the law doesn't apply to you, that you're above the law?

JERRY: Certainly not.

BOOKMAN: Well, let me tell you something, funny boy. Y'know that little stamp, the one that says "New York Public Library"? Well that may not mean anything to you, but that means a lot to me. One whole hell of a lot. Sure, go ahead, laugh if you want to. I've seen your type before: Flashy, making the scene, flaunting convention. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. What's this guy making such a big stink about old library books? Well, let me give you a hint, junior. Maybe we can live without libraries, people like you and me. Maybe. Sure, we're too old to change the world, but what about that kid, sitting down, opening a book, right now, in a branch at the local library and finding drawings of pee-pees and wee-wees on the Cat in the Hat and the Five Chinese Brothers? Doesn't HE deserve better? Look. If you think this is about overdue fines and missing books, you'd better think again. This is about that kid's right to read a book without getting his mind warped! Or: maybe that turns you on, Seinfeld; maybe that's how y'get your kicks. You and your good-time buddies. Well I got a flash for ya, joy-boy: Party time is over. Y'got seven days, Seinfeld. That is one week!