Library Manager Gets Roasted After Giving Away A Toddler’s Favorite Toy

Keeping a lost and found box might be annoying and sometimes seem like a waste of time, but for people who lose things important to them, they can be a godsend.

These library employees were ambivalent about theirs, which was typically kept underneath the desk until someone asked about it. This system was working fine until a new and (not so) brilliant manager had to put her own touch on it.

Anyhoo… like most public places, our library had a lost and found box. Located under the desk, people could ask “did you find…”

But you know how that works. Until, as time marches on, we get a new boss. Karen seems overused but since my post was removed for using an acronym, Karen it shall be. 😡

She decided, in all of her infinite wisdom, that the lost items should be displayed on a shelf for all to see.

Karen did not like our lost & found setup.

Instead, things had to go on a shelf behind the desk so everyone could see everything, and maybe remember that they had lost a particular item. This policy lasted maybe a week before we noticed a big problem.

They had a regular patron who suddenly had lost a whole lot of things. Even though the staff knew those things did not belong to him, the manager’s rule was simply to give things to the people who claim them.

As public places tend to do, we attracted our fair share of idiots and colorfuls. Including Jim. He came in one morning and upon seeing this new shelf of treasures, immediately claims everything on the shelf is his.

That glittery pink onesie? His. That well- used pacifier? His. That one odd glove that had been sitting in the box for months? His.

We all knew that it wasn’t his, and said so. And every time, Karen would override us… “if he says it’s his, it’s his. Give it to him. Besides, he’s clearing out this stuff so who cares?” UNTIL…

Then, another regular patron and her toddler left behind the kid’s well-loved – and well-known – stuffed giraffe.

THE (ALMOST) FINAL STRAW

One of our regulars was a mom and her kid. Toddler age; could walk but had a stroller just in case. Usually well behaved, and always had Mr. Giraffe with him. And one day, Mr. Giraffe somehow got left behind.

We immediately called the mom; they hadn’t even made it home yet and kiddo is having a meltdown. She says she’s turning the car around and should arrive in about 20 minutes.

No worries; we’ll take good care of him; showed kiddo a picture of Mr. G checking out a book… disaster averted. Or so we thought.

The random patron said it was his. The entire staff argued, saying not only was it not his, but the mom and her kid were on their way back to get it.

Karen decrees that Mr. G be placed on the shelf with everything else. Just in time for Colorful Jim to spot it and declare it his.

The entire building staff is yelling that it is not his, mom is on her way to get it, etc… but Karen will not be moved. She hands it over anyway because “he says it’s his…”

The manger did not back them up, but luckily he was still there with the stuffy when the kid and his mom returned.

Sure enough, mom comes, and… no Mr. G. But we know where he is. Someone gets Karen out of her office, and as a group, head straight for Jim. Demand he return the giraffe and of course he has no clue what we’re talking about.

Strange thing about kids sometimes… they see closer to the ground. And sure enough, Mr. G is poking out of Jim’s backpack. Kiddo grabs it with a shout of joy, and all Karen can do is stammer “but… but… he said it was his…” while the rest of us are saying “we told you it wasn’t…”

Now you would think we’re done. But we haven’t gotten to the MC yet!

The manager still did not want to rescind her policy, though – at least, not until they let the kooky patron claim something valuable of hers.

Shortly after the giraffe incident, Karen and Jim are still playing their games.

Karen heads to a conference and leaves behind a very distinctive, very expensive looking, water cooler / tumbler. (Bigger than a one cup “morning commute” mug but not a big jug either)

Which (you can see this coming) Jim immediately claims as his. I swear he was almost hopping with glee at his latest find.

Seems like a no-brainer to keep the lost and found tucked away, to me.

A week later, Karen returns, only to find that Jim has her cooler. She tries to confront him: “But all I have to do is say it’s mine and they have to give it to me! That’s the rule!”

We finally got our box beneath the desk that afternoon, and Jim had to describe anything he was going to try making a claim on.

TLDR (and Lord knows we need one): Boss insists on giving lost & found items to someone who isn’t the actual owner… until he ends up with something of hers.

Does Reddit think so, too?

The top comment wants to know what the customer got out of claiming random stuff.

But plenty of commenters say they’ve encountered similar.

It could even be hoarding tendencies.

They’re pretty surprised the manager is a real human being with how she’s acting.

This is just diabolical.

I can’t believe this is a situation that got this far.

And that a missing stuffed animal didn’t put an end to it.