It started about a month ago in my new rental house. I’m horrible at remembering anything so I use post it’s occasionally as reminders for odd things I need that aren’t on my normal shopping list. I usually just stick them in my purse or in my car so I see them when I’m out and about.
Last month I went to the dentist to check on my gum health and was told to try a special toothpaste. She wrote it on a sticky note but I didn’t have my purse so I put it in my pocket. When I got home I dug it out and put it on the corner of my kitchen island. Not the corner by the back door, or the refrigerator, and definitely not the corner by the sink. I needed it on the corner by the garage door. So I specifically stuck it there.
The next morning as I came down the stairs, I could see something vaguely in the dark sitting on that specific corner. Flipping on the light, I saw two (not one but two) boxes of the exact toothpaste sitting on top of the note. I pause and think, I live with two teenagers and doubt they even know what toothpaste is, and besides I do ALL the shopping!! But perhaps??? Either way I am superstitious so I thank the corner of my kitchen island for the gift and throw away the sticky.
A few days later I had a craving for peanut m&m’s so I jotted down a post it but realize I’d left my purse upstairs. I consider that corner of my kitchen island for a long moment. Finally I decide and put it there.
My eldest son has autism (very important to the story) and doesn’t like going out but the new Spider-Man movie came out and he left that night to go with his friend to hide in the back and watch. His friend loves peanut m&m’s (you know where this is going right?) and buys a box but starts to feel really sick and they leave the movie because he’s gonna hurl. My son takes him home and the kid darts away leaving his yellow box of peanut m&m’s on my son’s car seat. My son hates peanuts. (That was the important part). It’s late so he tosses the box on… the corner of the kitchen island… and goes to bed.
The next morning when I come down, it’s there… the sticky note and not a foot away, a box of delicious, delectable peanut m&m’s. This time I’m HIGHLY suspicious. Although I still respectfully thank the corner of my kitchen island and toss the sticky note in the trash. I then sit down to contemplative breakfast of peanut m&m’s.
That afternoon when said son rolls downstairs I inquire on the sticky note situation. Younger son has no job, no money and no life so older one with job, money and quasi-life is suspect #1. He laughs and says that he noticed the first sticky note and had seen two tubes in the back of younger son’s cabinet and set them there for me. So many questions roll through my mind as he searches for his breakfast. Younger son? He bought toothpaste? Then why does he have so many cavities? Why didn’t he use it? But I digress. I then ask about the candy. He tells me the story I relayed to you earlier. I then ask, quite cautiously, did you see my sticky note?
“The toothpaste? Yeah.”
“No, the other one.”
“There was only one for toothpaste.”
“No, I threw that one away and had another one.” I pull the wadded up note from the trash and show it to him. He laughs shrugs and heats up a hot dog.
I go about my day but now it’s in my mind and I can’t help but to stare at the corner of my kitchen island every so often. I finally decide to try to push it, expand the boundaries and see how far it will go. Not one to live so daringly, I think of something I want but haven’t purchased yet. Something unique but not greedy.
The plant.
I left my husband and his girlfriend about six months earlier in our family home. I wasn’t into his suggestion of us staying under one roof. We are good friends as it made no sense to shred 32 years apart, so I left with a smile. But I dearly miss his green thumb. Never have you seen plants and flowers under his care. If I were but an orchid how different would my life have been with him? His palms I miss the most. I shopped everywhere but the Kentia palms were drab reflections of his green and gorgeous ones, alas his were also too big to take with me. My muscles are only able to carry so much on watering day. (That’s the key, per ex husband, dry them out and flush them with water once in a while.)
Taking the chance I wrote PLANT, just plant, on that little yellow sticky note and so casually placed it on the corner of my kitchen island.
The dog
When I made the decision to live under my own roof in a home with a giant kitchen island. I took all the mammals with me. 2 humans, 1 cat and 1 dog. I asked for full custody on all and wanted no support. I die by my own sword. He agreed on 3 of 4, all but the dog. The dog which he hated for 12 months while I trained her endlessly. That creature he wanted partial custody. I acquiesced, as something needed to be important in his life. He asked to walk the dog 3 days a week.
No average dog, this Labrador steamrolls the backcountry like a field tank. Mowing down any and all brush in search of her prey. Small rabbits that she can never hope to catch. On one such hunt with my former husband she snorted a line of foxtails to get a quick boost of energy but instead ended up sneezing blood. My husband returned bloody sneezing dog through my back door while I was out, not thinking about buying a plant.
Fast forward, I notified him that after being sedated and foxtails cleaned from her snout, dog was down for the count, the custodial walks would have to be postponed. Rabbits were temporarily safe. And blood, by the way, came out of my rug by some miracle.
He felt bad.
I woke the next morning and went to let clogged nostril dog out when I noticed a multi fingered creature hunched over by my back door. Opening slowly, one foot on the dog, I saw a perfectly sweet and small Kentia palm. It was the perfect size. Not too big, not too small. Just right. I immediately thanked the corner of my kitchen island and threw away my sticky. Former husband texted later and said he’d had a shoot take off on his other palm but it was too small for him. Did I like?
“Yes, thank you.” But I really knew what was responsible and deserved the thanks.
I will not bore you further but the month has passed and the requests are sometimes strange and sometimes simple. I finally broke down and wrote money. Three days later I received compensation on an invoice from 2017 that according to the letter, my tiny company had never cashed the check. They were right.
I hesitate to use up this magic so I am cautious. I write my request and leave it for as long as the corner of the kitchen island needs. Currently it says… words to share my story. Where though?
This past week my D&D buddy shared a really cool story from a subreddit called nosleep.
I need to thank the corner of my kitchen island now and throw away the sticky.