I don’t mean to sound uptight all the time, but you know something? I really can’t stand the behaviour… or rather misbehaviour of some people. I’m not exactly an angel or a saint and therefore, my patience and my generosity does have bounds.
You see… I’m an avid reader. You know… I read those printed rectangular thing… they’re commonly known to the world as books. I read an average of 10 books per week and my books are my treasure. They are very dear to me.
I like lending my books to people, especially to bookworms who knows how to appreciate what’s inside the book. I’m fine with lending books to people as long as they return it to me when they have finished reading or reviewing it.
But what I do not like is when people do not make an effort to return what is mine.Wait… ‘do not like’ is too mild of a description. Loathe and despise is a much more accurate description of how I usually feel when people made no effort to return what actually belongs to me.
Just yesterday, I have the urge to read one of my Enid Blyton book. It’s a classic and no longer in print. In other words, it’s a rare book. Very rare book. A collector’s item.
I remember that a friend has borrowed it quite some time ago. I’ve double checked in my personal library, and I was right, it’s not where it’s supposed to be and so I contacted this friend of mine and ask her to return it to me at the earliest convenience. I expected that my friend is done with the said book, considering that it’s been ages. But much to my chagrin, my friend made no effort to return it to me. I am not sure if she’s lost it or the book is no longer in good condition, but she kept delaying and giving me all sort of excuse…busy and no time and stuff. It made me wonder if my friend is really busy or just giving me excuse. 🙁
I really want my book back since I can no longer buy it from the bookstores as it’s no longer in print. I hope my friend would be compassionate enough to return the book to me, and if she had lost it, or the book is no longer in a good condition, I can still forgive her as long as she’s honest with me and I can take it as my misfortune.
I am not exactly a monster. Honesty is the best policy. I can tolerate honesty. If you’ve lost it, then just say it. And if it’s spoiled, you can be frank with me and we can arrange some sort of compensation. I can tolerate honesty. I’m not that childish or immature. What I cannot tolerate is people who do so many things to escape from being responsible and pretends as if nothing is going on. 🙁
I’m very disappointed. People may call me calculative, but it is my right to ask people to return what actually belongs to me. I may be able to forget it if it’s still obtainable in the nearest bookstore, but it is no longer in print. What else am I supposed to do? Dig the author’s grave and ask the author to write that particular book for me? Not quite practical or possible, since I’m not a necromancer.
Cleffairy: Isn’t it easier to be honest and be responsible than to lie, cheat and not admitting that you’re in the wrong? What good does it do to push the blame to others? Some people simply have no conscience and courtesy. If adults behaves this way, then how do we expect our children to be responsible for their own action? Or the future generation would be filled will people who have no moral?
That’s why I gave up trying to build up a library. People borrow and never return…or when they return, the book looks like salted fish I wouldn’t want it anymore. Tsk! Tsk!
🙁 I am very disappointed and frustrated. Why must do all sort of nonsense… if the book is lost, or spoiled, can just be honest with me. I lend people my books based on trust and I expect them to return it to me when they’re done reading it. 🙁 Pissed me off with the attitude… have time to give me excuse but no time to return the book!
Agree with you. Just owned up if missing or dog ate..rather than saying busy to return it.
What if one of these days u say ‘never mind, since u r busy..i go over to your place to collect it’…shall see what the borrower will say next.
Oredi did, say busy, bla bla bla… give me all sort of excuse. In my opinion, the book is already lost or spoiled. I can forgive that if ppl are honest with me… but I cannot forgive if they give me all sort of nonsense and hope that i will forget about it. the book is not a gift… i just loan it… so must return!
u toking about me izit? then how come i terasa pedas… must be the lemon cilipadi fish i ate last nite… pedas sampai ke bijik mata… later i return back the Playboy magazine that i took from u lah…
Tu lah! siapa suruh u pinjam from her Superman Clark Kent magazine. U better go and korek fast fast return to her before she issue u lawyer letter!
U silap orang liao… that Playboy magazine is not mine wan… it’s my husband punya. I curi his stash under the bed. Go cari him to return lah. LMAO.
Which Enid Blyton book hilang? Claire say will give me some Enid Blyton books la. I see got the title that you hilang or not. If ada I pass to you la.
I also sayang to lend my Enid Blyton books to people. I have The Land of Far Beyond. That day i saw in Amazon.com selling for USD50!! pengsan. I buy that time a few ringgit aje.
Sobsob ah, Kat…. it is from the Famous Five series… got TWO books ah~ Five on a Treasure Island and Five on Kirrin Island Again. Now cannot cari liao. Out of print! So really hope the friend would return me… I very susah la… summore it’s a keepsake, it’s from my dad on my 8th birthday… I hope to kasi my anak wan. 🙁
Download a mini library information system and keep track of these folks. Fined them…. 50 cents if late return, asked them to sign a T & C before lending…. sounds good ?
Susah wan do that with friends… say u dun trust them la, etc etc. SIEN.
Lesson learn. I also only lend my books to certain people that I know will keep good condition of the books. Imagine, I still can pass the books inherited from my parents to my children, so you know how I take good care of them. That’s why I’m quite pissed off my own children not taking good care of their books!
🙁 I lend things to people based on trust, hoping that they will take good care of it and return to me. Expensive lesson to learn, as I could never get my books back if they’re lost. They’re no longer in print… and what hurts even more is that they’re early edition. 🙁