Twenty

My first memory with Man was when I was Twenty. When I felt whole. Now I am less. Now I am more like Twelve. Man didn’t take so much at first, I don’t think he meant to take any part of me at all. But now he is different.

When I first meet Man he tells me I have purpose. He says tomorrow I change the life of someone special to him. That was the same day he put me in brown leather bag he keeps Moleskine in. Man takes Moleskine from inside bag to outside bag. And from outside bag to inside bag, all the time. Moleskine says she is little black notebook. She is my first friend. She says Man is writer and uses her to make stories. Sometimes she tells me Man’s stories. Some make me happy and some make me sad. Man likes making stories about the same sad lady. She makes me sad.

The second friend I meet inside bag is Mont Blanc. He is pen. He says he has been in bag longest. He tells me him and Moleskine, they are partners. They help Man make stories. Mont Blanc and Moleskine like Man. I don’t like Man.

In small pocket inside bag lives iPhone. iPhone is aloof. She speaks little but always makes annoying sounds. But I think man likes her most. She always in and out of bag. Even more than Moleskine.

There is also coins in bag. I make less good friends with them, because they are never staying long. But they are mostly cool. I meet many nickel and a few quarters. One time, I meet One Hundred. He is like me. But I am much, much bigger. He came from far away land. He like to explain he is One Hundred Euros, and I am Twenty Thousand Dollars. I don’t know what he means - it might be connected to my purpose, but maybe one day I will understand.

One Hundred tells me crazy stories. He says me and him are same but different. He says our people live in gigantic city he calls banks. He also says he meet One Million. I don’t believe him. One day Man takes One Hundred outside bag and when he come back inside he is less. He is now Fifty. He don’t speak like he did before.

The first time Man takes me out of leather bag I see a big room and quickly see sad lady. Man looks guilty when he says…

“This is all I’ve got; I wish I could give you more…”

He takes part of me and gives it to sad lady. She smiles. I become Nineteen. I become much less. When Man puts me back inside bag I don’t want to speak. Moleskine tries to make me feel better with one of Man’s stories but it makes me even more sad. She says man is not bad, that he wants to help sad people. That is why he writes sad stories about sad lady.

For three months I live inside leather bag with my friends. Man takes me out of bag every now and then and I become less. My friends are worried because I get more quiet every time I become less. But leather bag is warm and safe, and I like my friends. It is around the time I become Twelve that Man decides to move me. Without warning Man puts me inside dark wooden draw. I am not happy - especially when I see man left Moleskine inside leather bag. Moleskine was my first friend.

I am angry. What was wrong with leather bag?

But I make new friend in draw. I meet old dusty paper. He is very old and smells funny. He says he is Letter. But he is incomplete. He says he needs to complete his purpose - to be sent to sad lady. I tell him I know sad lady and ask him why she is his purpose. He says it is reason he exists. I ask him what is my purpose? He says to become less.

I decide I want new purpose. I tell Letter my purpose is to become more. He laughs. He says purpose cannot change. I will prove him wrong.

But first I try understand purpose better. I ask Letter to tell me why he needs sending to sad lady. He says he is important message for her. He says Man wants to make sad lady happy. I think Letter has good purpose. I want purpose like Letter.

Wooden draw is now home. I am Twelve for many months now and I wonder if Man forget me. Does Man think I can help make sad lady happy too? If that is my purpose, then Man must surely make me whole again… I decide to wait.

I wait and wait and after a very long time Man opens draw and takes me and Letter out. I am scared that man will take again, and I will become less. But I have new purpose. I know that will not happen. Even though, I am very surprised when Man gives a lot and a lot instead of taking. I become whole. I am Twenty again!

Man does not put me back in wooden draw. He puts me and Letter in leather bag and I see all my friends. There is pen and iPhone and Moleskine! There is even new pen called Pencil. I introduce my friends to Letter and tell them about my new purpose. Moleskine and Mont Blanc say it is good purpose. I ask them if they would like new purpose too. They say they have always had purpose - to help Man make stories. Now I understand why Mont Blanc and Moleskine like Man.

Being in leather bag with my friends is good. I like here better than wooden draw.

But not long after Man takes me and Letter out again. I see sad lady and she smiles at Man. Man gives Letter to her and she begin crying. But I think she happy too. Man then place me in sad lady’s hand. She looks at me in wonder and looks at Man confused.

She does something man never did. She flicks through me, all the thousands of pieces that make me whole. She is different and not sad when she says to Man…

“I can’t believe you’re giving all your prize winnings away…”

She called me a prize. She puts me and Letter in new bag. Blue and small and warm. Letter says that tomorrow I will fulfil my purpose, that tomorrow I will become a car!