A Year of Stories (Collection Three)

Don't Lose the Receipt

Walk to door, knock twice, no more.

In time, enough time, you'll be greeted by a man.

He will be wearing a coat with too many pockets, and a pair of red-leather gloves.

You will leave him your heart.

He will hand you a receipt.

Do not lose it.

The path will open to you then, take one step and then another.

Continue like this for a long time.

If you stay along the straight and narrow, you will eventually come to a lake.

There you will meet two creatures with gossamer wings, one who calls himself Puck, the other who calls herself Priscilla.

Puck will ask you your name, do not give it to him, for he will steal it and you will never see it again.

Priscilla will ask you your age, tell her, but be certain that you lie.

She will know if you tell the truth, and will be sorely disappointed.

You do not wish to disappoint her.

If you are still alive, Puck will hand you a whistle, take it and kiss the hand that gave it to you, softly, as you might the forehead of a newborn child.

The hand you are kissing, may or may not belong to Puck.

In either case, he will smile.

You should smile back.

Priscilla will not be smiling, but as long as you have the whistle, that is OK.

Leave them and walk to the shore.

Blow the whistle twice, no more.

A whale, the size and breadth of your dreams, will come to take you across the lake.

Say goodbye to your new friends, knowing that if you are lucky, you will never see them again.

Know that you are not lucky.

Do not fear the current, though it is swift.

Do not fear the whale, though he is not.

Keep a song in your breast, though you have no heart to contain it.

Mid-way across the lake, the whale may begin to cry, comfort him.