A Crown of Forget-Me-Nots

A knock at the door

George had just finished moving into his new house in Tallahassee, Florida, when a knock was suddenly at his door. He rushed down the stairs from his new room with a beautiful view of a field of calendulas.

When George reached his front door, he looked through the peephole. Although someone had just been at the door, no one was there. He opened the door, the chain still keeping the door locked and not allowing anyone inside.

As he undid the chain keeping the door locked, he noticed a small package addressed to his house. How in the world did someone know his new address? Afterall, he hadn't updated any of his friends or family about his new address, only that he was moving and would update them soon.

Slowly, George inspected the small package, cautious as its contents could be potentially dangerous. Once he determined it was safe, he reached out and grabbed the package, bringing it inside his new home before locking the door again and heading to the counter to open it.

As George cautiously opened the small package, the first thing his eyes found was a note.

He read the note carefully, as to not miss any information that was important. George read the note aloud, despite no one being around to hear him.

"Dear Sap, heard that you got sick recently, and decided to send you some things that might cheer you up. Best wishes, D. P.s., say hi to my new cat. Her name's Patches."

As George read the note aloud, his mind filled with curiosity by the second. Who was this 'Sap' and why was this addressed to George's home? And who was this 'D' person anyway? 

The longer George thought about it, the more it made sense. It was probably meant for the person who lived in the house before him. 

He turned the note over, finding a phone number. He decided it would be best to call the number later, to tell the person that they had gotten the package to the wrong person.

George decided to let the curiosity take over, looking through the rest of the contents in the small cardboard box. As he looked, he found a variety of items, examining each of them carefully. 

The very next item in the box was a small polaroid photo of a cat, with big green eyes and small white paws. The nose looked like a light orange, with a small white stripe just above. George made a mental note, coming to the conclusion this was Patches.

Next to it was a card, probably handmade, considering that the card was blank except for a large 'Get well soon' right on the front. 

The card sat atop a record, specifically 'Let It Be' by The Beatles. George didn't have a record player, despite wanting one for a long time. After seeing the record, he quietly promised himself to buy one. He carefully picked up the album, taking the record out and admiring it. After a bit, he put the record away.

As he admired the cover art, he noticed it was worn out and faded. A small sticky note was attached, reading "Was my moms in 1970. She didn't want it, and I don't really listen to them. Figured you'd want it, or at least know someone who would."

George had always loved listening to The Beatles, and specifically this album. Right beside where the record was, sat a small music box. George, letting curiosity get the better of him, wound the box and listened as it played 'I Will'. He figured this probably belonged to "D"'s mom as well, considering it was also The Beatles.

The inside of the box was lined with a teal sweatshirt, a small bottle filled with sand on a chain wrapped in a sleeve. a small string with a note was attached around the neck of the bottle, reading "The Grand Canyon, Arizona"

Atop all of the contents, was a crown of forget-me-nots.

654 words----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------