Papered Life Source

Even in today’s world, there’s a knock on the door, or your doorbell rings, or there’s an email notification that your package arrived. This was the only time I received a text with an image of a light, brown paper bag along with my package tracking number. The notification advised me to scan the barcode located on the top of the brown box in order to open the package. I thought this was some kind of joke from my friends or cousin always trying to pull some sort of stunt. I opened the door finding the small brown, paper box neatly sitting on my welcome mat. The gleam of the sun shined on the package like a spotlight shining on a stage. I brought the package inside and shut the door.

The box was a paper bag sealed at the top with a bar code. I ignored the text notification still believing this was some sort of joke. I couldn’t open the darn thing and I tried with all my might. I laughed at the idea of a possible glue that was used to seal the bag. I stared at the brick wall in the backyard motivated to break the darn mysterious package. I spent hours cutting, gnawing, flicking, anything but using a saw to open this package the size of my hand. I looked at the text notification and realized, I might not have ordered this package. I searched my order history on all my application accounts and there it was. I ordered this cool looking mask with one left in stock. I was bored one night about ten days prior having searched the internet tired of wearing my ordinary masks. I somehow remembered the item details of the mask sold with a life guarantee. I missed the fact it was missing a return policy. “The heck with this.” I raised my hands in surrender with my phone in my hand and scanned the barcode. "For the love of new normal!" A new message on my phone appeared: “Enjoy your new life.” The folded crease of the brown paper box began to open: one; two; three times and fully opened into a paper bag. I timidly leaned over the top of the bag seeing this light, brown mask with a thin, white boarder. I was perplexed moving my hands through my hair. I thought long and hard about all the boring days repeating the same inconsistent behavior of wearing the mask and not wearing the mask... I took the risk, but I couldn’t get the mask out of the bag. On the inside of the crease in bold black letters were instructions: PLACE THE BAG INSIDE OUT AND PLACE THE MASK ON YOUR FACE. TRUST AND ENJOY.

Trust and enjoy? Was this food or a mask? The suspense was annoying; so, I trusted the process of commerce believing this was F.D.A., approved or another, at your own risk policy for insurance purposes. I turned the bag inside out, with the mask completely exposed and placed it on my face. I couldn’t breathe... Oh my God! I struggled to find my breath clenching my throat with both hands. My head was throbbing; my chest cavity expanded; my stomach flattened, and my ribs were as tight as can be. Just as I was about to collapse, my chest slowly retracted, my headache vanished, and my body felt light as a feather. I felt better than ever standing upright in complete shock. I couldn’t even try to get anxious wanting to run to the mirror. In a nice even pace, I walked over to the bedroom mirror. The mask and the brown paper bag was out of sight. I touched my face and placed my hands in front trying to feel for the mask and the paper bag to ensure this wasn’t an illusion. Nope. The mask and the paper bag that was once shaped like a box had both disappeared.

I received a new text message with a picture of the mask. I opened the message. There was the brown paper bag as my phone cover. What just happened? I stared at it all day and all night. The weird part was the battery port was missing. I couldn’t plug in my phone and the battery power was at twenty percent. I followed the original instructions: “Trust and enjoy.” I ate dinner finding the food tasting better than ever. My life felt great and I had the most peaceful sleep. I woke up the next day finding my phone battery at one-hundred percent. Nothing was wrong. In the following months, I was receiving text message and phone calls, but the phone bill was paid in full. My work benefits increased; my relationships were better. Everything was great.

One day at work a co-worker asked me if she should get the vaccine. I was confused with her question. She said I wouldn’t be walking around the building without a mask not being vaccinated. I was stunned at her remark. Directly after work, I got a full blood work-up. Later in the week the results came back showing I was in perfect health. Perfect. I had the best health ever and everything was perfect. I stared at the brown paper bag, phone cover wondering the effects of ripping it off my phone. I was eager enough to see the consequences and just before making the attempt, I received a text message. “I WOULDN’T DO THAT IF I WERE YOU. TRUST AND ENJOY.” Trust and enjoy. I didn't think twice. I put the phone in my pocket and followed those instructions. The brown paper bag in the shape of a box had transformed my life. Trust and Enjoy.