Have library card, will travel

The other day, when walking, wine-ing and shopping with That’s Not Chinese, I realized something that could have changed our experience entirely: I didn’t have any forms of payment with me.

 

What I did have, however, was my library card and ID. According to Awkward’s daughter, these are all I need to get anywhere – to include in and out of countries.

 

One day, when Tree, Awkward, Awkward’s daughter and I were at lunch I informed them they needed to get passports so we could travel to Mexico within this next year. Tree was sure passports weren’t required.

 

I assured him passports were, in fact, required in Mexico, Canada and pretty much any country that isn’t the country in which one resides.

 

“Couldn’t you just show them (Customs) something with your name on it? Like, your library card?” Awkward’s daughter asked.

 

She makes a fair point. In some places getting a library card is just as difficult as obtaining a passport. And, with your library card and a vivid imagination you can virtually read/imagine yourself anywhere.

 

“She’s so cute,” Awkward said with the sweet smile of a proud parent.

 

Fast forward to shopping with That’s Not Chinese and, although I used my library card to obtain knowledge about loos, Benjamin Franklin and access to a few good 80s movies, it would not be able to provide payment for my groceries.

 

“Any chance you can pay for my groceries?” I asked That’s Not Chinese and added, “It’s only $25.”

 

“Fine,” she replied and swiped her debit card.

 

“Do you mind getting $25 cash back so I can pay you back?” I asked.

 

Sadly, she didn’t fall for it – must have been the library book on simple mathematics that made her so smart.