Auditing the Date Stamp

An unmonitored date stamp was sitting idle on the library's return counter, slacking off in broad daylight. Leaving chronological machinery unverified is an amateur move. After slipping through the book drop slot, I hopped onto the polished laminate and inspected the chrome frame. The year was locked in, but the day band was skewed a fraction off center. Unacceptable. I braced against a card stack and kicked the notched rubber wheel with my heel until it snapped cleanly into place. Then came the operational test. I dropped my full weight down onto the spring plunger. KER-CHUNK. The stamp flipped and slammed an immaculate purple date onto a blank bookmark. Library records are officially up to standard.