The Effect of the Butterfly

The Effect Of The Butterfly by Devin McKenney

“Yoo Dear Moleskine!Right on time”, I excitedly thought as the song by Jay Elect and Kendrick blared through my EarPods from my phones shuffle mode.This song always relaxes me and makes me feel like everything gonna be alright . The beat and melody ride like a soothing river and the LYRICS! (Insert head blown emoji ). This is the Perfect song to say ,”Man Im over this…(Insert poop emoji haha). Which I literally am as I walk in Midtown pandemic struck New York…Live from 2020. Haha Well if you are reading these lines I guess you understand the gist of my state of mind. Anyways my current location in space and time is a rainy New York day on Broadway and my boss just told he has to let me go for the moment because the pandemic has caused us to lose almost 70% of our business. Just so you the reader knows IM THE TOP brick oven pizza chef in NYC (at least I like to think so haha). To make a long story short since we had to shut down indoor dining to our family style Brick Oven Pizza restaurant earlier this year lets just say “Business Sucks!”, and now I got let go until further notice…(Insert hmmm emoji).”Yooo! Can I just write this year over!” I think loudly to myself.Like really write it over like that Ashton Kutcher movie'The Butterfly Effect’ where he was able to rewrite his history in his notebook and it happened.That would be amazing!(well except the migraines he got afterwards he can keep those haha). All of these thoughts run to and fro in my head as I make my way down a rainy Broadway ave on my way to get a drink at this New Orleans style outdoor restaurant.Sheesh Lord knows I need one now. The streets are really empty compared to the normal hordes of people that usually crowd these same sidewalks in normal times. Still a lot of people though might I add “This is still New York City by the way”, but nowhere near the same. I would like to add one more thing, the air quality is surprisingly fresh,crisp and beautiful for New York. Maybe its partly because everyone has a mask on and thus everybody's breath is not mixing and parlaying together in the atmospheric mix haha. My fiancee always rolls her eyes at me when I say that but on the low I know she agrees and so do you my dear reader just think about it haha. Back to the mission at hand I am now one block from my destination on this cool rainy Late spring. Just walked pass Times Square which now reminds me of a postcard from one of those dystopian future movies haha. Man I’ll be happy when this is over and we can get back to funky, crowded but surprisingly dope pre-pandemic NYC. “Hey Raul what’s poppin my dude!”,as I reach the outdoor bar window while removing my EarPods. “Hey what’s up my friend!”, says Raul as we do a gloved fist bump which seems to be the new way of greeting.” You want your regular?.” says Raul. “ Yes indeed but I need it extra extra strong today as I just found out I’m on forced leave from the restaurant and who knows when or where the next money bag is coming from and your next free brick oven pizza haha”, I chuckled at Raul. “I’m sorry to hear that my good brother”, Raul says with concerned 2020 eyes. “In that case first round on me” , he continues. As Raul passed me the drink through the window I caught a glimpse of a mysterious trenched coat gentleman out the corner of my eye take a seat at one of the outside booths. As I take my drink to one of the stools I take a look at the guy. He is dressed with an expensive looking trench coat with a brown Borsolino rimmed hat ,a umbrella and a glow that definitely reenforced my previous description of mysterious....ooor maybe it was the mask. Well if that’s the case I guess everyone looks mysterious these days because everywhere I turn people are masked up, some even 2 or 3. Didn’t realize I was staring at the dude and quickly turned away as we catch eye contact. Not one to be in the streets staring at dudes haha but this fella had a strong energy with him. I take a sip of my strong drink which is a double shot of rum and coca-cola . As I intend on taking the edge off my issues there was a whole board meeting going on in my head. “ What is my fiancée going to say?Do I need unemployment? How much is in my savings account?When is this $h#t going to be over?How is anyone going to taste my 5 star brick oven pizza?Ugh why am I sick of zoom parties already?How are we going to buy this house? No lie I had all these thoughts before the cup returned to the table after my first sip.I sat there zoned out staring into the block by block halfway empty midtown abyss as I contemplate the next few weeks. “ What am I gonna do!?”, “again rewrite this year already”, as I look blankly into space.I suddenly realize my drink is finished.Then I hear Rauls voice from behind me, “Hey my friend is that all you having? What else can I get you?” “You got $20000 dollars I can use to reboot my life. I said sarcastically but with a tone of humor. “ Haha wouldn’t that be nice” he laughed. “Right!? ,I laughed back, “ Yea I’ll take another Raul”.Just then I see the mysterious guy in the trench stand up. He almost looks like a 50’s corporate advertising executive slash account collecting mobster hitman with a 2020 era mask. He actually looks familiar now.It’s funny how you still can recognize certain people even with a mask. Upon 2nd glance maybe I don’t recognize him. He then turns to me breaking the midtown silence with a few cars honking in the background and says, “ You ever heard the one about the butterfly and caterpillar? I turn around with the most perplexed look, “No my man I don’t believe I have”. “ Pardon me I don’t intend to be all up in your business but I see you over here with that contemplating is this my life look hahaha” , he laughed deep but softly under the mask as I slightly chuckle because he’s right. He continues “Well there was once a caterpillar who spent his days walking about searching for leaves to eat.He always complained “ Why do I have to drag these legs all about all day long ?, “ and it takes me forever to get up to the best leaves higher in the trees” the caterpillar lamented. “ Who wrote this struggle life for me , I wish I could just rewrite it”. “ I would be so fly...I could get where I need to go easily and have access to the best leaves Marvelous Mother Earth has on her exquisite menu”, the caterpillar smiled. Just then I am pulled out of the trees back to New York from fantasy land as Raul places my new drink in front of me. “ Here you go my friend let me know if you need anything else bro” Raul says as he swiftly goes back into the bar. “ Thank-you Raul!”, I say behind him. The mysterious 50s dressed dude was not even phased by the interruption as he continues with the story of the caterpillar. “ So later that night caterpillar falls into a deep slumber and dreams he is inside a cozy relaxing room with a notepad writing the perfect version of himself where his life would be full of happiness and ease”. The caterpillar enjoys the best rejuvenating sleep he has ever had after dragging 6 legs around all day. He sleeps and sleeps and then suddenly awakens. “What!It Worked!”,as the Butterfly smiles and flies away. Meanwhile I give this guy the most blank New York City look and wonder to myself, “That’s it!”. The man continues, “I say all that to say, I think I have the help you need to get that look out of your eyes,” as he pulls a small black book out of his inner pocket. “ Take this and rewrite your life like that caterpillar did” as he hands me a pen and book that reminds me of the small black journal everyone’s grandmother used for all her phone numbers and addresses back in the day.He looks at me over the top bridge of his mask with familiar eyes that I swear I know and says , “ Seriously write the perfect version of your life in this black book and take the utmost care of it. “ Promise me one thing...when you get everything you wrote you must give this black book to someone else and share the same story I did with you.” , “ You must share it because greed is the destroyer of blessings”, he says as I took and opened the book. I sarcastically say “ Oh you got a magic Ashton Kutcher book huh”?He smirked quietly beneath the mask. “Well I’m gonna rewrite this story right now”’ as I take the pen and begin writing. “I can’t believe this dude playing with me with this imaginary stuff with all I got going on”’ I silently annoyingly think to myself.I continued out loud while I wrote. ..$20000 dollars, my own 5 star brick oven pandemic proof restaurant, my own recipe book, a fresh brimmed 50s style borsillino hat, a house for my fiancée and I ... At that moment I realized the guy wasn’t saying anything and I look up and see the mysterious story telling man was almost a block down the street with his umbrella up in the rain. “ Hey!” ,I shouted, “ You forgot your magic butterfly book as I jumped up leaving Raul’s tip and payment. I jogged to catch up with the guy as he swiftly and gingerly walked down the street of this traffic less NYC street. He makes a quick right around the corner of the block as I shout, “ Hey Man!”.

I turn the corner and the block was empty. All I see is wet sidewalks, trash and pandemic closed stores. “ Where did he go? ,I laugh “my man must have disappeared into a portal or something.”I look down and see a large envelope with my name on a business card attached to the outside. I opened the envelope and see a check made out to me for $20000 dollars. “What!” ,I gasped as I look at the card on the envelope. Under my name it read...Author, Speaker ,restaurateur, and 5Star Brick oven Vegan pizza Chef.... “VEGAN!!!”, I screamed as I put my hand on my forehead like the emoji.