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Elementary

APK | January 22, 2007 | 9:51 am

(Via The Washington Post by way of bookofjoe)

The dusty, 1,122-page book didn’t attract much attention when it arrived this month at the Springbrook High School library in a nondescript FedEx package.

Then a librarian noticed the checkout date: May 14, 1964.

“How much do I owe for ‘borrowing’ this book for 42 years and 8 months?” Stephen N. Sampogna, a 1966 graduate of the Silver Spring high school, wrote in an attached note. “Did you miss it?”

The librarians hooted and hollered. But the return of the tome, a 1930 edition of “The Complete Sherlock Holmes,” quickly presented them with a real-life whodunit: Who was this man, and what possessed him to return a four-decades-overdue library book?
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The rest of the story is just as strange and wonderful. Go on and read it.


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One Response to “Elementary”

  1. Annie Sampogna- Reid says:
    February 3, 2007 at 3:39 am

    Adam,

    I’m glad you liked my brother’s story. I suppose a lot of similar stories about overdue books have been published. But that’s not really what this story is about. I’m glad you noticed the difference.

    So that you know, since this was published Steve has received a lot of great messages from strangers, long lost friends, random guys like yourself, etc. Just the kind of stuff you would want to happen if you knew you were dying and really wanted to get your ’stuff in order’. I don’t think he expected all of this when he sent the book back. It’s been a good experience for all of us.

    Anyway, just wanted to thank you for appreciating the story because it’s more than that to the people who love him like I do.

    Annie

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