Man, 89, comes clean, returns book after 76 years

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2010/12/23/man_89_comes_clean_returns_book_after_76_years/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+News+of+the+odd ^ | December 24, 2010

[Wile E Coyote Genius]

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich.—Mark McKee is lucky a Michigan library isn't charging him a late fee for returning a book 76 years late.

.In 1934, the 13-year-old McKee checked out "A Dog of Flanders" by English author Marie Louise de la Ramee from the Mount Clemens Public Library.

Recently, McKee, now 89, said he discovered the book and mailed it to the library.

"I was entranced by the book and kept it with my prized possessions, intending to return it forthwith," McKee wrote in an accompanying letter. "Thus began a 76-year odyssey of missed opportunity and intention."

[Wile E Coyote Genius]

Better late than never. I like it when people are honest!

[Huntress]

[JPG]

Geo Washington still has him beat by a long shot.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

They can have my overdue library book when the pry it FMCDH(BITS).

[reagan_fanatic]

"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?"

[AnAmericanMother]

It is a good book.

You can read it here:

A Dog of Flanders

The author is better known just as "Ouida", her pen name. She was immensely popular in late Victorian times. My grandmother-in-law was named after her. Ouida Dunbar.

[Libloather]

From FR - Man returns book to library after 53 years (and pays $5000 fine)

[dfwgator]

“Hey man, don’t Bundy that book.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RdtX9fwTOk&feature=related

[Doogle]

Uncle Louie from Sienfeld

[sinanju]

I remember the ending being a total bummer but I don’t think the dog COULD have frozen to death with the kid.

[sinanju]

Is it even legal to own a copy of The Five Chinese Brothers in this day and age. It would be terribly politically-incorrect.

Hmmmm, then again, young Chinese dudes with super-powers fighting evil are still a staple of the movies, at least.

[cyclotic]

Great story.

I’ll probably see the book next week. We used to live in Mt. Clemens and are stopping by next week at the library. My daughter worked there for several years and wants to see her friends on the staff, as do we.

Great people at that place.

[newfreep]

LOL - my first thought when I saw the thread title - classic scene and “Bookman” played it perfectly.

[AnAmericanMother]

It's pretty difficult for a big dog to freeze to death, even in the winter in Antwerp - particularly indoors.

But any acquaintance between Ouida and actual fact is purely coincidental. She is all romance, coincidence, and ridiculously tragic endings.

Under Two Flags is probably her most famous story. It was considered very scandalous at the time because the heroine was a "fallen woman," a camp-follower of the French Foreign Legion. Bertie Cecil takes the blame for his wicked brother's forging a note and flees to Algeria to join the Foreign Legion. He loves the widow of a nobleman, whom he cannot woo because he enlisted under a false name. The camp-follower, Cigarette, loves him but her love is not returned. Eventually she leaps in front of a firing squad to save Cecil's life, his name is cleared and he returns to England.

It's the Breathless Romance School of fiction, but it's really quite good. It was a best seller and much liked, especially by British soldiers. Go figure.

[dragonblustar]

Yeah! Mount Clemens shout out!!!!!!