Japan's got rules.

japan is a silly place full of wonky rules that an outsider can never really understand. here is a ridiculous example. I went to the city library to check out a book and renew one that i've already had my 2 weeks. the lady, in VERY APOLOGETIC japanese, explains that she cannot allow me to renew my book, because its a Lonely Planet book, and these are special. we must allow time for the next person to have the option of checking this book out. So, after she allows me to check out the other book, she explains that there is a chain of command (of sorts). she takes the book and walks across the library to a sorting shelf, in which she sorts and files the book away to be reshelved. then, she tells me to bring it back to her at the counter once she has returned. then, and only then, can she allow me to check it out once again. it all seemed so silly. like it was some tricky thing for the CIA or maybe she didnt want to get in trouble in case someone really important was watching?? haha, who knows. in japan, you CANNOT break rules. wow, how freeing it could have been for her to just check it in and check it back out. i used to do that when i worked in a library. in and out. books are books. but, i guess that is what makes her japanese, and me OH SO american?