Father returns book he borrowed 40 years earlier to his former elementary school

A father has revealed how he recently returned a book that he checked out from his former elementary school more than 40 years ago.

Pier Fazzalari, a father based in Michigan, told the Utica Community Schools he was recently reading a book to his two daughters when he noticed a stamp in it that read: “Dresden Elementary.”

From there, he said that he remembered that he had checked the book out more than four decades ago, back when he attended Dresden Elementary School, which is where his children currently go to school.

“I pulled the old book out and thought: ‘I remember this one,’ and when I opened up the page and it was stamped ‘Dresden Elementary,’” Fazzalari recalled.

“I was like: ‘Why would it say that?’ And then I realised it was probably from when I was in second grade and I never returned it,” he continued. “I thought I should probably bring it up to the school.”

According to Fazzalari, the book, an anthology series titled Cloverleaf, had originally been hiding in a box in his parent’s basement for the last 40 years. However, he said that he recently grabbed the box, as he thought there would be books in there that he could read to his two children, a kindergartener, Adriana, and second grader, Alexandria.

“As soon as I pulled [Cloverleaf] out, I thought oh yea, I remember this. I used to read this when I was a kid,” he added.

After discovering the stamp in the book, Fazzalari said that he mentioned it to Dresden Elementary School’s current principal, Bradley Suggs.

According to Suggs, he was quite shocked and amused by the situation, as he joked about a way for Fazzalari to pay the school back for returning the book so late.

“At first, I was speechless and then we both started laughing,” he said. “I stated to him that I was not sure how big of a fine a 40-year-old book would be? Jokingly, I told him I would have to figure that one out.”

“We then decided that a book fine that [was so] overdue could only be repaid by him buying cookies for the staff, and we sent him an overdue notice stating so,” he added.

Suggs also noted how much he appreciated Fazzalari’s act of bringing the book back to the school, regardless of how late the return was.

“I thought it was very respectful that after so many years, he still thought of returning the book,” the principal said. “As an educator, I was thrilled that he takes the time out of his busy day to read to his children.”

Fazzalari acknowledged how much he enjoys his hometown and how his wife, Raeda, is a lunchroom aide at the elementary school, so she’s in contact with her daughters’ teachers.

“The parks and stores are close, and the schools are walking distance. I just like the neighbourhood,” he said. “My wife knows all the teachers and they do a great job.”

The Independent has contacted Dresden Elementary School for comment.