WOTD: The Jars of Talents

  The jars, although they appeared empty, were actually quite full. They had no markings that signified what was stored inside them. Yet I could tell you which jar held what.

  What wisps of talents were stored in there.

  And I let them- dozens of them- out. All by accident. One minute they were in my over sized, powder blue suit case, the next the jars were shattered, pieces everywhere. A thin gas welled up from the jars like the rise of steam. Talents of whistling, dancing, cheese making, writing, drawing, tying knots and playing jacks evaporated into thin air. Like they had never been there at all.

  I knew the Owner wouldn’t be happy with me, not that he had a pleasant disposition in the first place, but when I broke the only thing that made him relatively content, I wouldn’t want to be in the same room as him.

  When I reached the door to the emporium where the Owner worked, I sighed. Then opened the door. Like always, the wah-pop from the door hinges greeted me. Inside, shelves on nick knacks from tourist shirts and post cards to homemade peanut butter and candy lined the walls.

  “Well, Miss Rena, what do you have for me today? More talents, I hope.” The Owner continued to read his newspaper without even looking up at me. With his feet propped up on the counter, he seemed laid back and even easy going. 

  “You see… Mr. Owner, sir… I dropped the suit case and… the jar broke and the talents got… out.” Without even reading his expression, I flinched.

  “What?” He cried with rage as he threw down his paper and shifted his feet off the counter. “I could have sold all those talents- whistling, dancing, cheese making, writing, drawing, tying knots and playing jacks- for a ton of money to any of the Fair people!”

  That was just like the Owner. Taking poor Fair people, the ones without talents, and charging them a ridiculous fee so they can get a talent. Or an entry to society without feeling like a reject.

  I had been Fair once. Then I met the Owner. He gave me a talent and I paid the fee. It was the talent to draw a perfect circle. Eve if it was only drawing a geometric figure, it was something. Only I lost it, the talent, to the Owner. And now I owe him and have to con Fair people. Every time I look into that meager, Fair person’s face I feel a tug in my heart as I take their money and give them their new talent. Only to have the Owner take it away in a few short days. But there’s nothing I can do. 

~

Hey.

I just wanted to let you know that I'll be gone until Monday because I'm going to my summer camp thing. 

I'm going with one of my best friends. Something funny will have o happen.

(Be prepared for a story)

See ya in a couple days.