Here’s What’s Wrong With the World

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Todd Bol died a couple of days ago. Yeah, I know. Who’s he. Todd Bol is the man credited with starting the Little Free Library, a nonprofit (in the truest sense of the word: one website reported the organization’s donations at about $50,000 and expenses at over $110,000!) organization that has a really simple goal: give people books. It’s based on that “need a penny, take a penny; have a penny, leave a penny” premise at convenient store checkouts: build a little container and fill it with books. If someone wants one, they take it. If someone has finished a book, they can put it in there for someone else to enjoy. What a great idea, huh? Heck, there’s one in front of a house not too far from where I work! Who could object to the notion of people reading more? You would be amazed at the answer to that rhetorical question. And here, in a nutshell, is what is wrong with the world (since I noticed Canada got in on this, too): there are gloomy Gussies who will whine, cry, bee-yitch, moan, groan, and complain about anything. Hand them the world on a silver platter, and they’ll gripe because it’s not a gold platter, or because it’s oblong instead of round. You cannot believe the complaints that the late Todd Bol’s idea spawned. In Louisiana the boxes were labeled a “violation of the zoning law.” Los Angeles went after someone with a Little Free Library, claiming they needed a permit to operate it. Someone in Houston was told to remove it or the city would. Oh, and here’s one that’ll make you laugh and cry: a 2017 article from Toronto showed Canadian LIBRARIANS objecting to the Little Free Library. Todd Bol died after being diagnosed three weeks ago with advanced pancreatic cancer. He was 62. Rest In Peace, Mr. Bol. Thanks for the idea. Sorry people don’t want to see the joy in reading. Obligatory song: