Folded Notes

Shelly was sitting on her porch on a crisp fall morning. The air smelled like new tires - it was her favorite smell. Shelly always sat on her porch to clear her mind and to stay focused. Today, of all days, would be a good day to clear her mind. She just found a black notebook in the parking lot of the grocery store. It was important for her to return it to its rightful owner, but inside her most inner thoughts, she wanted to keep it for herself. As she was flipping through the ivory pages every second, she felt more confident than she had ever felt in her life. Just one glimpse of the hard soft black cover of the notebook she felt the power and prestige. Just the touch of the bookmark ribbons of the notebook made her imagine she was royalty. Shelly was not a greatly confident woman, and this soft black cover notebook made her feel confident. She played over and over in her mind how strangers would treat her differently whenever she walked in a public place with this notebook. “Crash!!!” She heard in the background, it was coming from inside her home, which interrupted her deep thoughts.

She peaked her head inside the house door to find out what the noise was. To her surprise it was her 15-year-old daughter Alisa in the kitchen. Shelly walked in the house towards the kitchen, which was close to the back porch.

“Alisa!! What are you doing?” Sherry yelled. “Mom I just dropped a glass; I was trying to get a glass to pour my juice in.” “Oh, that crash interrupted my thoughts”. Sherry said with unease. “Mom, really it’s just a notebook, just keep it.” Alisa said sarcastically.

“Really, Alisa really. I am going to find out whose notebook this belongs too.” Even if I must go back to the grocery store to ask the employees that work there.” “Ok, mom you are something else. That seems silly to me, but if it makes you feel better.” Alisa said with sass. Shelly then lifted the notebook and playfully tapped Alisha on the head. As she did, a folded-up piece of paper fell out of it. Shelly picked it up and unfolded it. There was a note that read:

“To the person that finds this notebook, you are headed on a journey of your life. I have provided instructions for you to follow. The instructions will have to be followed precisely as I direct. Are you ready to begin the treasure scavenger hunt adventure? If you are, please text this number and wait for further instructions 88888”

Shelly was shocked and did not know what to do at this point. Maybe some fresh air would clear her thoughts and make her think about this some more. What in the heck did she stumble into? “Mom, Mom what did the letter say?” Alisa asked puzzled. “Baby girl, just wait right now, please. Momma must think. “Shelly said calmly. Alisa just stood silenced and walked to her bedroom.

The following day, after tossing and turning all night Shelly thought about texting the phone number. Shelly needed to know. She needed some type of excitement in her life besides dating. Dating had not been much excitement at all. She had her share of dating losers, so what did she have to lose. Sitting on her porch, again, on her day off from work, while Alisa was in school, she decided to text the number. She scrolled through her phone searching for the text message app, to text the number that was on the folded piece of paper that she stumbled across. She entered each number one by one from the notebook in the message.

She waited anxiously for a reply. She walked up and down her porch for ten long minutes. Then a “Bing, Bing” came from Sherry’s phone! It took her at least two minutes to check her messages. When she opened her message, it read: “You made a good choice to start this treasure journey. The first step to your life changing event is to following the first instruction. You are to return to the grocery store where you found the notebook. There will be a woman in a blue coat. She will approach you and hand you a note. Please remember to take the notebook with you. You will have to hold the notebook up over her head so she can see you. Shelly kept reading the message over and over on her phone. She grabbed her car keys and coat and went out the door.

The text message was replaying in her head as she was driving. She could not even listen to the radio; she just drove in silence. The grocery store was ten minutes from her home. It would not take her long to get there. Her heart was beating so fast that it was like a drumstick beating it. When she arrived at the grocery store, she just sat in her car for two minutes while taking deep breaths to calm herself. Shelly then stepped out of her car with the notebook and held it over her head. It seemed like it took forever for the lady to come over to her with a smile on her face. Sure enough, a lady with a blue coat approached her. She seemed harmless.

She handed Sherry a folded note. In the note it read: You have finished the first task, now it is time for your second. Go to the park down the street from here. Remember the notebook! Sit on the second bench and lay the notebook beside you. There will be a man with a dog that will come up and sit next to you. He will place a folded note on the notebook. In it will be your next instruction. Sherry just looked at the note repeatedly contemplating whether she should go to the park or not. After sitting in her car for five minutes, she decided to go to the park. She thought to herself it cannot be that bad.

Sherry went to the park and sat at the second bench and waited for five intense minutes. Then, a handsome man, one that reminded her of Chris Pratt, appeared with his dog and sat next to her. He placed the folded note on the notebook. She unfolded the note: Please come to the coffee stand that is behind you. Ask for a super caramel latte.

Sherry went to the coffee stand that was behind her and asked for the super caramel latte. The clerk handed her another folded piece of paper. This time when she opened it, the note said, “Congrats, you have finished your life changing journey, just look at the check!” She gasped and was speechless when she unfolded the check. The clerk behind the coffee stand said, “I am a millionaire who, once a year, leaves a little black notebook in town for others to find. Some people take on the challenge and some do not.” “Thank you. Is this for real? How do I know you are not lying?” Sherry asked sarcastically. Just then, the clerk took off their hat and apron. The clerk looked remarkably familiar. “Oh, my goodness”, “You are Sarah McCord the self- made millionaire. I have most of your products.” Sherry said with excitement. “It is I, the one and only.”, Sarah stated with a smile. Shelly could hardly believe it. After talking with Sarah for a few minutes at the coffee stand in the park, Shelly decided to return home. She could not wait to tell Alisha what had happened. She was still bubbling with excitement.

When Alisha arrived home from school, Sherry was sitting on the porch. Alisha approached her mother with a puzzled look on her face. Her mother was smiling, which she rarely does. “Mom, are you ok?” Did you find out whose notebook it was?” Alisha said calmly. “Yes, I found out whose notebook it belongs to?” Sherry said while laughing. She handed the notebook to Alisha and she told her to open it. When Alisha opened it, there was a folded note that said, “Love you kid. How would you spend $20,000 dollars?” “Mom what are you talking about?” Alisha was confused. Sherry told Alisa about her day and how she met Sarah and wanted her to keep the notebook.

“Hey, are you going to share with me?” Alisha asked her mom. “Well maybe. You told me not to find out who the notebook belonged to. Remember child.” Sherry said playfully. “Oh, mom come on.” Alisha said as she hugged her mother. Both continued to sit on the porch on that Fall afternoon. Now they must fill their heads on how to spend that $20,000 dollars!