It’s been a rough week in Mennonnoland, let me tell you. Wednesday my downstairs neighbor, without warfning, decided to secure her network with a password. I, of course, have been piggy-backing on hers since my roommate moved out, so I was shocked and not a little hurt by this move, let me tell you. Not to mention, it’s a bit sadistic. It’s like someone who’s been handing out crack on the street corner, getting everyone hooked, and then just suddenly stops showing up. It’s like, now you’ve got the whole neighborhood hooked, you can’t just drop it. It’s not about you anymore.

As a long-time wireless freeloader, I’d almost rather do anything than pay for internet access. It’s like paying for porn. Not when people are giving it away. You’d have to be a fool. Now, I know what you’re thinking. That I’m one of thoooooose people. I probably cheat on my taxes, too, right? Next I’ll be feigning cancer to get donations for a Caribbean vacation or pretending I’ve had sextuplets for tea and sympathy, or faking my own death for the life insurance money. But, y’know, it’s out there, in the air, for the taking.

Anyway, I thought, hmph, so that’s how it is, eh? And I hopped on my brand new bicycle and peddled my heart out on down to the Boston Public Library and headed straight for beautiful Bates Hall, where they have wireless for the masses. Much better than that old apartment, anyway, right? Well, come to find that, unlike when I was here during my last wireless crisis a year or so ago, you have to sign on to the library’s portal with your library card number and pin.

Now, here’s where it starts to get ugly. I have confession to make, and I hope you will all be understanding, my gentle readers. I have library fines dating from 2001 amounting to $50.05. I lost my card long ago, and they very rightly refused to give me a new one until I paid up.

So I was stuck. It’s Karma, of course. I could tell you the whole story of the card, the books, the fine, but it’s very long, and very, very sordid.

Suffice it to say, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and today–Saturday–I was able to log on with my own laptop (though not from home), for the first time in a few days.

And I will have more to say about the T presently…