Hypothetically speaking, suppose someone was a loyal library patron. He always returned books on time, never ripped out coupons from newspapers, remained polite while waiting endlessly for a librarian to look up from whatever he or she was doing to answer a simple question. Suppose he belonged to their book discussion group and attended all their events, even the boring poetry readings with maybe four others. Suppose when he used the facilities he always flushed and washed his hands. Suppose he let really old people use the softer chairs. And if he should fall asleep there, he never snored.
Now suppose said library held their annual book sale. For $3 you get a plastic bag to fill with as many books as you can fit. And you do just that. Nineteen books in all, paperbacks, some by famous authors. You can barely carry it to your car.
Now here is where it gets sticky. Suppose that same ideal library patron returned the next day with the now empty plastic bag crumpled up in his pocket. After glancing around to make certain no one was looking, suppose said patron slipped the bag out and used that same receptacle to fill up again, this time 17 books. Without paying another $3.
Can you forgive that person for this one instance of cheating a public institution? Or will he go to hell? Hypothetically speaking.
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