In 500... (or less)

Not in the Drop Box

The old man waited patiently at the desk while the librarian finished putting away some books.

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked, looking over her glasses at the old gentleman.

"I need to return a book," he said.

"The book drop is out by the door," she replied curtly, annoyed that she came all the way to the desk for something so trivial. 

"Well, about that," the old man said, "I didn't want to damage it. It's very old."

He placed a block of wood bound by strings on the desk.

"That's not a book," the librarian snapped. 

The old man studied his book for a moment, then smiled at the librarian.

"I suppose not," he said. "Hmm, I can't remember the word for it now. But it's pretty much like a book."

His explanation did nothing to remove the snarl from the grouchy librarian's face.

"Please take a look," he continued. "I've had it checked out for quite some time."

"How long?"

"Couldn't really say. Before you starting working here, I'm sure of that."

"Well," she snipped, "I've worked here for 33 years and we've never had any 'books' that looked like this."

The old man was undeterred. 

"I'd feel better if this book were back in the library where it belongs," he said. "It might be valuable."

The last word drew the librarian's attention, she reached out to take a look.

"I've never seen anything like this," she said. "You say it's very old?"

"Yes," the old man answered. "At least a few hundred years old."

She ran her finger along the folded pages held together by the wood. Perhaps the old man was telling the truth. She pulled it closer to her to inspect it.

"The Secrets of Long Life," she mumbled. She squinted at the old man. "Any good?"

"Worked for me," he chuckled.

She fumbled at the strings holding the bindings together.

"Let me get that," the old man said. "I've had to replace those a few times. Only part of the whole thing that's not original."

"Strange paper," she said as she carefully lifted one of the folded sheets from the binding.

"It's called vellum," the old man answered. "They used stuff like that before paper."

The page was written in Latin. Perhaps the old man was telling the truth about the book's age.

"Where did you get this?" she finally asked after studying the manuscript, pretending like she could read it.

"That's the thing," the old man said. "The library I got it from isn't around any more."

"Do you have your library card?"

The old man looked uneasy.

"It's a little hard to explain," he started. "Checked this book out as a young man."

"Where?" The librarian was getting annoyed at his evasiveness.

"Umm, the book is very informative," the old man said. "Read through it a few times now. I, uhh, got it from the library in Alexandria."

"Well then you should return it there," the librarian said.

"I said the library in Alexandria."

"Oh," the librarian answered. "Very well then. Let's talk about your overdue book fine."