Shell Decorated Package

It is a beautiful warm Autumn day in Central Queensland, Australia. I had just finished my delicious homemade breakfast of spinach and fetta omelette, with a side of potato fritters and tomato jam. Freshly brewed coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. It was just what I needed, on my day off to do whatever I wanted to do. 

I then go for a happy stroll through my gardens and smell my floral blossoms. The flowers still are growing here in the warm climate. I decide I will then go and sit on my comfortable cane lounger on my verandah. I open my book to finish reading my exciting novel. I will then maybe go downtown for a bit of lunch and shopping. 

As I plan my day, I hear a strange whirring sound getting louder, and suddenly a huge drone appears at my front door, drops a parcel, and flys off with lightning speed. I was left with my mouth open, this has never happened before. I was flabbergasted.

So I cautiously wander over to this mysterious package, laying on my porch. Questions started to flood my mind, What is inside it? Who sent it? Was it safe? It couldn't be a bomb or anything like that? Maybe I've watched too many spy movies, but I do love James Bond movies. It was the size of a medium cereal box, wrapped in some brown paper with clear sticky tape wrapped around it. Decorated with five sea shells glued onto one side of the package. No address or names on it, no words at all. Very strange indeed. 

After I finished hovering over the package for about five minutes, I decided to carry it carefully over to my cane lounger and investigate it further. I continue to stare at it, turning it over, cautiously shaking it, smelling it, but no sound. It wasn't very heavy, but solid. What a mystery, this was not in my plan for today. But oh so exciting. I need to solve it. I probably shouldn't open it, just in case it was someone else's package, dropped at my place by accident. 

I think about it for awhile, then an idea strikes into my mind. I will call my friend, who is a Doctor in town and ask if it was possible to have an X-ray done on this parcel. It was a wild and crazy thought, but why not? Doctor Susannah replies to my call and says let's do it, as she is not busy today, and sounds thrilling. 

I drive to town, with this mysterious package in the boot of the car, just in case. Just to be safe. I park the car just outside of my friend's surgery, and take her the package. Susannah says it looks interesting, let's X-ray it. The results didn't show things inside very clearly, but it looked safe, I hope. I sat down with Susannah to brainstorm about a solution to my dilemma. We had some tea and cake, and then she yelled out, "Call all your family and friends, and ask if they sent something by drone". Yes, that is a good idea I said to her. But there was so many people that could have done it. So we talked and narrowed down my list of people.

After calling seven of my people, and no luck, Susannah suggests my step-mother in Sydney. I think about it, but tell her that she doesn't send things, she waits until I visit her to give gifts. And she is a tiny frail elderly lady. But I agree and give it a go anyway. 

I call her phone, and no answer. I call her four more times, and finally she answers. "Hello, sorry my dear, it takes me awhile to walk from the kitchen to the phone." I am glad she is fine, and ask her about my mysterious package. She tells me that her son, that lives near my place, has just bought a drone business. He wanted to give one of the drones a decent test. So while he was visiting his mother, she gave him a package to give to me when he came home. 

So, I call my step-brother and tell him the story, and he starts to laugh. He said his mum and himself forgot to write anything on it. He was too busy testing his new drone. I said it scared me, and I went into detective mode. But it was thrilling, I guess I needed a bit of excitement in my life. 

Mystery almost solved, I still needed to find out what was in the box. I get back home, and take it inside onto the dining table. I take a deep breath, and carefully take the shells off first, as I want to keep them. Then cut through the sticky tape, and unwrap the package. There was lots of wrapping, and padded filling inside too. I take out two sets of beautiful floral socks, a Turkish cotton blanket type wrap in a corded bag, and a large white vinyl covered note book, with green and brown palm trees all over the cover. These gifts were wonderful, my step-mother knows what I like. 

So I call her on the phone to thank her, and she says she is pleased that I love her gifts. And giggled at the event it created for me. Yes, a day of fun. She told me that the blanket and socks were to keep me warm while I write my stories in the notepad. She does know me, and I love her.