Random Esquire

It occurs to me that I may be the unwitting accessory to a crime being committed by Fresh Express.

Fresh Express knows that I like technology and gadgets. I often return to my office to find articles about different technologies she has clipped from a magazine or newspaper on my desk. I thank her and this makes her happy. On Monday, I thanked her for the latest article she’d left for me and she beamed and said, “Oh, I just love it when I find those. I love clipping them. It’s addicting.” Sure, that’s odd but it’s friendly enough so I just smile and go about my business.

Today, I walked into my office and found an article from the New York Times on my desk. I picked it up and paused mid-sip of my coffee as I noticed that across the front was stamped, “Do not remove from the Reference Section. CHICACO PUBLIC LIBRARY.”

Fresh Express has been clipping the articles from the newspapers at the library. I occurred to me then that what she found addicting was the excitement she got as she was clipping them in the reference section and sneaking out with them. I picture people at the library, opening up a newspaper and looking through a rectangle in the newspaper to the person across from them. What do I do? Return the articles in the book drop? Call the library and leave an anonymous tip? I can’t even imagine what I’d say in that phone call let alone what the heck they’d think of that call.

I’m not going to do anything. It’s just too interesting.