a lost bookmark finds its human

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Saturday, while checking in a stack of books at the library, I noticed a bookmark poking out of a mystery.  The bookmark was a made of metal and looked like a stained glass window.  Because the bookmark looked special and I knew what book it came from, I was able to look up the patron.

Just as I was picking up the phone to call him, a patron dinged the bell.  It was a quick interaction. The patron handed me a hold he didn't want anymore and moseyed on over to the self checkout to check out the rest of his books.  As I walked away, I read the hold slip, which only has the first four letters of the patron's last name, first initial of their first name, and last four digits of the card number.

I read it again.  Could it be?

I called out his name hopefully.  He looked up from checking out his books and gave me a strange look. I handed him the bookmark and told him I was just about to call him.  His strange look instantly changed to gratitude and shock.  "My wife gave me this a long time ago!"  His hands were shaking as he slipped the bookmark into one of the books he had just checked out.  With a look of genuine sincerity, he thanked me and left.