“I’m very sorry, sir,” said the librarian, “but you can’t actually borrow books unless you upgrade your members’ status to Premium…”
I stared at her blankly. She stared at me, but with something like contrition filtering out from behind her glasses.
“I’m afraid it’s the new policy, sir.”
It wasn’t her fault, of course, I understood, and I wondered how many times she’d had this selfsame conversation that day.
“Well, okay,” I said, “I suppose I can still read here, can’t I?”
She smiled.
“Of course, sir…”
Her glasses glinted apologetically.
“But you’ll have to upgrade to Reader status first.”
I stared at her blankly. She stared at me, but with something like contrition filtering out from behind her glasses.
“I’m afraid it’s the new policy, sir.”
It wasn’t her fault, of course, I understood, and I wondered how many times she’d had this selfsame conversation that day.
“Well, okay,” I said, “I suppose I can still read here, can’t I?”
She smiled.
“Of course, sir…”
Her glasses glinted apologetically.
“But you’ll have to upgrade to Reader status first.”
