THE OTHER DAY I GOT A SMALL PACKAGE IN THE MAIL. IT WAS
WRAPPED IN PLAIN BROWN PAPER THAT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD
BEEN CUT FROM A GROCERY STORE SACK. IT HAD MY NAME AND
ADDRESS PRINTED WITH ONE OF THOSE FELT TIPPED PENS, BUT
THERE WAS NO RETURN ADDRESS ON IT. THE WHOLE THING WAS
WRAPPED IN WIDE STRIPS OF CLEAR TAPE.
I
TRIED TO UNWRAP IT BUT THE TAPE WAS TO TOUGH FOR ME TO
UNWRAP. SO I GOT OUT MY POCKETKNIFE AND CUT INTO THE
END OF THE PACKAGE. BUT THEN I STOPPED AND LOOKED AT
THE POSTAGE STRIP THAT TOLD HOW MUCH IT COST TO MAIL
THIS PACKAGE, IT COST $1.52 TO MAIL IT. THE STRIP ALSO
SAID IT WAS MAILED IN LONGVIEW, TEXAS.
NOW, WHO DO I KNOW IN LONGVIEW THAT WOULD BE MAILING ME
A PACKAGE? WELL MAYBE, WHEN I GOT IT OPEN THERE WOULD
BE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. I FINALLY HAD TO CUT
DOWN ONE SIDE TO GET THE TAPE AND PAPER OFF. WHAT I
FOUND WAS A BOX LIKE THEY MAIL NEW CHECKS IN. I'M
FAMILIAR WITH THESE BOXES BECAUSE I SAVE THEM. THEY
MAKE HANDY BOXES TO KEEP THINGS IN. I'VE GOT ONE
SETTING HERE ON MY DESK NOW FULL OF RUBBER BANDS.
I
TRIED TO TAKE THE LID OFF THE LITTLE BOX, BUT IT WAS
TAPED ALSO, SO I HAD TO GET MY POCKETKNIFE BACK OUT AND
CUT THIS TAPE. NOW I COULD TAKE THE LID OFF THE BOX.
WHEN I DID THERE WAS A NOTE FOLDED ON TOP OF SOME PINK
TISSUE PAPER. AH-HA! NOW I WILL FIND OUT WHO SENT ME
THE PACKAGE, I THOUGHT. I UNFOLDED THE NOTE AND IT
SAID, "REUNITING TWO OLD FRIENDS."
THAT'S ALL THE NOTE SAID! NO SIGNATURE OR ANYTHING
ELSE, JUST "REUNITING TWO OLD FRIENDS." WELL THIS WAS
REALLY BEGINNING TO BOTHER ME. WHO WAS THIS OLD FRIEND
THAT SENT ME A PACKAGE TO REUNITE US. MAYBE THE ANSWER
WOULD BE REVEALED WHEN I UNWRAPPED THE PINK TISSUE PAPER
AND SAW WHAT THIS FRIEND HAD SENT ME. I UNWRAPPED THE
PINK TISSUE PAPER AND FOUND WHAT HAD BEEN SENT.
NOW BEFORE I TELL YOU WHAT IT WAS, I NEED TO GIVE YOU A
LITTLE BACK GROUND SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING
ON. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO I WROTE A STORY ABOUT LOSING A
FRIEND OF OVER FORTY YEARS. THAT STORY WAS TITLED
"LIFEBUOY." IT WAS ABOUT LEVER BROTHERS STOPPING THE
MANUFACTURE OF LIFEBUOY SOAP. I HAD SENT THIS STORY TO
A BUNCH OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
YES, YOU GUESSED IT. WHEN I UNWRAPPED THE TISSUE PAPER I
FOUND A BAR OF LIFEBUOY SOAP. I HAD BEEN REUNITED WITH
AN OLD FRIEND. BUT WHO HAD REUNITED ME WITH THAT
FRIEND? I STILL DIDN'T KNOW. NOW THIS BEGAN TO BUG
ME. MAYBE IT WAS … NO SHE WOULD HAVE SIGNED THE NOTE.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN … NAW, A MAN WOULD NEVER PULL THIS
KIND OF STUNT, OR WOULD HE?
WELL I THOUGHT, WHO EVER SENT IT WILL SEND ME AN EMAIL
AND EITHER TELL ME THEY SENT IT, OR ASK ME IF I GOT IT.
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS BE PATIENT. I WAITED, AND WAITED,
AND WAITED. AFTER A WEEK, I WAS A NERVOUS WRECK. I
BEGAN TO LOOSE MY APPETITE. I WAS HAVING TROUBLE
SLEEPING. I WAS JUMPY AND CRANKY.
IT
WAS LIKE THAT OLD STORY OF HEARING ONE SHOE DROP AND
WAITING FOR THE SECOND SHOE TO DROP. ONLY IT WOULDN'T
DROP. I HAD TO DO SOMETHING, OR THIS THING WAS GOING TO
PUT ME IN THE CRAZY HOUSE. JOHNNIE TOLD ME SHE COULDN'T
STAND ME LIKE THIS ANY MORE AND SHE GAVE ME ONE OF HER
PROZAC TABLETS. AT LEAST I SLEPT A LITTLE THAT NIGHT.
EACH MORNING WHEN I GOT OUT OF BED, THE FIRST THING I
DID WAS TO RUN TO MY COMPUTER AND CHECK MY EMAIL TO SEE
IF SOMEONE HAD FESSED UP TO BEING THE ONE THAT HAD SENT
ME THE BAR OF LIFEBUOY SOAP. EACH MORNING THE OTHER
SHOE HADN'T DROPPED.
JOHNNIE SUGGESTED WE MAKE A LIST OF EVERYONE THAT I HAD
SENT MY STORY TO THAT LIVED IN LONGVIEW. OUR LIST
TURNED OUT TO ONLY HAVE FOUR NAMES ON IT. THAT MEANS
I'VE GOT A 25% CHANCE OF GUESSING WHO SENT ME THE SOAP.
JOHNNIE HAD ANOTHER SUGGESTION. SHE SUGGESTED I SEND
EACH OF THE FOUR AN EMAIL AND SAY: THANKS FOR THE
PACKAGE,"
HEY THAT IS A GOOD IDEA, SO I SENT EACH OF THEM THE
EMAIL. THE NEXT MORNING I HURRIED TO MY COMPUTER TO SEE
WHO WOULD REPLY. ALL FOUR REPLIED AND THEY ALL FOUR
SAID THE SAME THING. "WHAT PACKAGE?" THAT NIGHT I WAS
SO BAD THAT JOHNNIE HAD TO GIVE TWO PROZAC TABLETS.
NOW JOHNNIE WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT ME SO SHE SENT AN
EMAIL TO THESE FOUR PEOPLE AND SAID, "LOREN IS REALLY
ENJOYING HIS SURPRISE. HE SAID TO TELL YOU THANK YOU
AND HE IS KEEPING HIS EARS CLEAN."
THE NEXT MORNING, I AGAIN RUSHED TO THE COMPUTER TO
CHECK OUR EMAIL. WE HAD AN ANSWER FROM ALL FOUR
PEOPLE. THEY ALL WANTED TO KNOW WHAT SURPRISE? WELL,
WHAT JOHNNIE DID THAT NIGHT TO GET ME TO SLEEP IS A
WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT TIME, BUT NOW SHE HAD
TO TAKE ONE OF HER PROZAC TABLETS HERSELF.
IT
HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH NOW SINCE I RECEIVED THE PACKAGE
AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS FROM. BUT NOW THAT
I'M ON A STEADY DIET OF PROZAC I REALLY DON'T CARE
ANYMORE. I DID TAKE THESE FOUR PEOPLE OFF OF MY LIST TO
SEND STORIES TO, BUT I DOUBT THAT WILL MOTIVATE THEM TO
TELL ME THEY ARE THE ONE THAT SENT THAT PACKAGE. THAT
BAR OF LIFEBUOY HAS BEEN USED UP NOW. I JUST WISH
SOMEONE ELSE WOULD SEND ME ANOTHER BAR. THAT WAS A DEAR
FRIEND AND I HATED TO LOSE HIM. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
BRAND NAME LOYAL. IT'S A SHAME LEVER BROTHERS WAS NOT
AS LOYAL AS I WAS.
IF
ANY OF YOU HAPPEN TO FIND A BAR OF LIFEBUOY SOAP, IT
WOULD BE A GESTURE OF REAL FRIENDSHIP IF YOU SENT IT TO
ME. BUT BY ALL MEANS LET ME KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
PLEASE JUST MAIL IT TO: |
LOREN MOORE
2904 LACHELLE LA.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76010 |
|
|
LIKE TO JOIN OUR FREE MAILING LIST?, CLICK ON THE HEART BELOW
|
I would love to hear your comments on the pages we
prepare and recommend, we enjoy doing it for your
pleasure, our pleasure is receiving your comments. |
Page design By: Texas Bob |
|
|
Visitors to the site since
7-12-03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|